Kkobuk Chips, South Korean Snack, Gaining Popularity in the U.S.
Kkobuk chips, a popular South Korean snack, are crunching their way through the U.S. snack scene—from tech company snack bars to national retail chains.
Orion, one of Korea’s largest confectionery companies, announced on April 24 that its signature product, Kkobuk chips, has seen a surge in demand among younger consumers in the United States. The chips are now available at major retailers such as Five Below and Miniso, and even grace the snack bars of tech giants like Google and Netflix.
Also known as turtle chips due to their shell-like, multi-layered shape, Kkobuk chips are made from corn and were first introduced by Orion in March 2017.
Since March 2023, the chips have been available in all 1,598 Five Below stores across the U.S., as well as in 52 Miniso locations nationwide. Kkobuk chips were the first Korean snack product to enter Five Below and have already expanded their retail reach to Costco and Sam’s Club across North America.
Sales projections for 2024 estimate that Kkobuk chips will generate approximately 20 billion won ($14.5 million) in North American revenue alone. In 2023, export sales to the U.S. reached $8.7 million—up nearly 200 times from just $43,000 in 2017.
The chips made their U.S. debut in warehouse stores like Costco in 2019 and Sam’s Club in 2021. Starting with only 100 stores in the western region, they have since expanded to over 460 locations nationwide.
Orion has stated that it is considering the construction of a local production facility in the U.S. if sales exceed $29.2 million annually.
“Kkobuk chips are gaining popularity as a snack in global company snack bars and are truly establishing themselves as a leading representative of K-snacks,” said an Orion spokesperson. “With our unique product capabilities tailored to local tastes, we aim to create a ‘Kkobuk chip Snack Road’ that spans across Asia, Europe, and North and South America.”
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Written by Choi Yeon-jin and Lee Jung-soo. Originally published April 24, 2024. All rights belong to Chosun Ilbo and the original authors.
