Daesang launches new K-snack lineup for global palates

Poster for O'food's new Korean Street Food product line (Daesang)

South Korean food company Daesang has unveiled its new Korean Street Food product line through its international brand, O'food.

According to the company on Monday, the launch signals a strategic push to adapt and expand the company’s offerings to meet the growing global appetite for Korean cuisine.

In recent years, O'food's Tteokbokki product has seen a remarkable 4.7-fold sales increase over the previous year, highlighted by strategic placements in major US supermarket chain Kroger and online retail giant Amazon, solidifying its presence in the international food sector.

With the global market potential for Korean street food products, Daesang plans to accelerate the internationalization of Korean cuisine. The Korean Street Food line will feature 11 items, aimed primarily at key Western markets such as North America and Europe. Initial efforts will concentrate on smaller stores and online channels, with plans to progressively broaden into mainstream channels.

The new product line features a diverse array of offerings, split between ready-made food and desserts, including seven meal options such as gimbap and jeon, alongside four dessert alternatives, with new grain snacks among them.

Gimbap, a Korean seaweed rice roll, in particular, is offered in three varieties: vegetable, spicy fish cake and japchae (glass noodles), as it has gained special attention recently among US consumers.

"Reflecting the popularity of K-snacks and the active demand amongst international customers, we will continue to release differentiated products that cater to the tastes and needs of people worldwide, expanding the K-food market," said Jennifer Lee, head of the global food business unit at Daesang.

By Park Se-ra(serap1005@heraldcorp.com)