Sector Trends Analysis – Snacks in South Korea

Note: This report includes forecasting data that is based on baseline historical data.

Executive summary

The snack market in South Korea is experiencing consistent growth across most categories. Over 2020 to 2024, snacks saw 4.5% annual sales growth to reach US$6.6 billion.

Savoury snacks saw the highest growth at 6.0% annually, which is expected to continue growing fastest over 2025 to 2029.

South Korean consumers in their 30s and 40s are driving savoury snacks sales, particularly those that pair well with alcoholic drinks, and are expected to maintain solid sales growth over 2025 to 2029.

Health and pleasure trends, often referred to as "healthy pleasure", are expected to continue over 2025 to 2029. They are expected to drive popularity of protein/energy bars, as consumers seek out snacks that are both nutritious and satisfying.

Snack sales in non-grocery retailers grew strongly over 2020 to 2024 to more than double their sales in 2024. After surging over 2020 to 2021, Ecommerce sales have grown steadily over 2020 to 2024 to become comparable in sales to hypermarkets.

Top new snack product claims were "High/added protein", "Premium", "No additives/preservatives", and "Low/No/Reduced allergen". Top flavours included plain and roasted/toasted, followed by chocolate and cheese.

Market overview

The snack market in South Korea is experiencing consistent growth across most categories. Over 2020 to 2024, snacks saw 4.5% annual sales growth to reach US$6.6 billion. Savoury snacks saw the highest growth at 6.0% annually, which is expected to continue growing the fastest over 2025 to 2029.


Snack retail sales by product category - Historical and forecast retail Sales in US$ millions
Category 2020 2024 CAGR* % 2020-2024 2025 2029 CAGR* % 2024-2029
Snacks 5,547.8 6,616.5 4.5 6,946.2 8,231.2 4.3
Savoury Snacks 1,991.8 2,512.1 6.0 2,649.3 3,209.2 4.9
Ice Cream 1,406.6 1,698.0 4.8 1,781.2 2,135.9 4.6
Confectionery 1,172.5 1,308.1 2.8 1,361.4 1,520.3 2.8
Sweet Biscuits, Snack Bars and Fruit Snacks 976.9 1,098.3 3.0 1,154.4 1,365.8 4.3

Source: Euromonitor International, 2025

*CAGR: Compound annual growth rate

Confectionery

Confectionary retail sales grew by 2.8% annually over the 2020 to 2024 period, with mints and lollipop sales growing the most. Sales of confectionery subcategories are expected to continue growing over the next five years by 2.8% with mints and pastilles, gummies, jellies and chews expected to grow the fastest.

According to Euromonitor, sugar confectionery in South Korea is set to maintain its current and forecast sales growth rates. There is a move away from gum and traditional hard sugar confectionery towards mints, and pastilles, gummies, jellies and chews respectively. This transition is driven by demand for more convenient, portable, and enjoyable snacks. Manufacturers are developing new products that offer distinctive flavours and textures, rather than simply copying existing leading products.

Furthermore, consumer trends in confectionary are becoming increasingly short. Products that gain popularity through social media often experience brief periods of intense interest, such as with Bamyanggang, driven by social media and celebrity endorsement. Manufacturers are capitalizing on these fleeting trends by embracing the temporary nature of social media-driven trends, without overcommitting to long-term promotional efforts.

Confectionery retail sales by subcategory - Historic and forecast retail sales in US$ millions
Category 2020 2024 CAGR* % 2020-2024 2025 2029 CAGR* % 2024-2029
Confectionery 1,172.5 1,308.1 2.8 1,361.4 1,520.3 2.8
Pastilles, Gummies, Jellies and Chews 283.8 367.2 6.7 391.1 479.2 5.2
Countlines 153.8 166.5 2.0 169.8 188.8 2.7
Gum 146.6 155.1 1.4 162.9 162.5 −0.1
Chocolate Pouches and Bags 147.7 126.3 −3.8 127.3 128.2 0.2
Tablets 104.3 111.7 1.7 115.0 122.8 1.6
Other Sugar Confectionery 85.0 84.3 −0.2 89.8 108.6 4.9
Mints 30.9 47.3 11.2 50.6 63.1 5.7
Boxed Assortments 39.0 44.6 3.4 45.9 52.5 3.4
Lollipops 30.6 46.0 10.7 47.4 50.8 1.7
Seasonal Chocolate 33.4 40.2 4.8 41.7 47.1 3.1
Medicated Confectionery 32.6 35.7 2.3 38.1 45.3 4.4
Boiled Sweets 35.0 38.4 2.3 38.4 32.1 −4.3
Chocolate with Toys 37.1 31.6 −3.9 29.7 25.4 −3.8
Toffees, Caramels and Nougat 10.7 10.7 0.2 11.2 11.3 0.2
Other Chocolate Confectionery 2.2 2.5 3.7 2.6 2.6 −0.1

Source: Euromonitor International, 2025

*CAGR: Compound annual growth rate

Top ten confectionary brands in South Korea in 2022 - Retail sales in US$ millions
Brand (company) 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 CAGR* % 2020-2024
Haribo (Haribo GmbH & Co KG) 56.1 60.7 74.3 81.9 87.2 11.7
Lotte Xylitol (Lotte Group) 74.3 66.4 64.5 69.8 72.8 −0.5
Ferrero Rocher (Ferrero & related parties) 45.7 44.5 49.3 52.7 55.4 4.9
Ghana (Lotte Group) 47.3 43.1 45.8 48.5 49.7 1.3
My Chew (Crown Confectionery Co Ltd) 39.4 40.4 41.7 46.3 49.3 5.7
Free Time (Crown Confectionery Co Ltd) 41.5 35.3 40.2 42.9 44.0 1.5
Kinder (Ferrero & related parties) 41.8 43.6 47.8 41.5 39.9 −1.2
My Gummy (Orion Group) 18.1 16.3 27.7 32.6 36.4 19.2
Petitzel (CJ Corp) 37.9 39.1 37.6 36.8 36.2 −1.2
Chupa Chups (Perfetti Van Melle Group) 18.6 17.7 22.4 31.1 34.1 16.4

Source: Euromonitor International, 2025

*CAGR: Compound annual growth rate

Ice cream

Ice cream in South Korea has experienced steady annual growth over the past five years by 4.8% over 2020 to 2024. Impulse ice cream is the largest subcategory with increased sales of 5.4% annually over 2020 to 2024. Sales of plant based ice cream surged 18.2% annually over 2020 to 2024 and is expected to continue as the fastest growing ice cream subcategory.

As ice cream sales are highly reliant on summer months, the return of international travel for summer holidays is likely to weaken domestic sales of ice cream, as relatively fewer people will stay and travel within the country. However, over the mid or long term, the main consumer group for ice cream, children, continues to see a decline due to the country's low birth rate, while the elderly population is constantly increasing. The emergence of new dessert snacks as an alternative to ice cream is likely to further threaten ice cream sales. In this regard, the industry sees declines in ice cream as a natural phenomenon, with a lack of new drivers that could appeal to adult consumers.

Ice cream retail sales by subcategory - Historic and forecast retail sales in US$ millions
Category 2020 2024 CAGR* % 2020-2024 2025 2029 CAGR* % 2024-2029
Ice cream 1,406.6 1,698.0 4.8 1,781.2 2,135.9 4.6
Impulse Ice Cream 1,028.6 1,269.5 5.4 1,340.3 1,632.9 5.1
Take-Home Ice Cream 358.7 407.2 3.2 419.2 480.6 3.5
Frozen Yoghurt 17.8 18.2 0.6 18.4 18.2 −0.2
Plant-based Ice Cream 1.6 3.0 18.2 3.3 4.2 5.9

Source: Euromonitor International, 2025

*CAGR: Compound annual growth rate

Top ten ice cream brands in South Korea - Retail sales in US$ millions
Brand (company) 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 CAGR* % 2020-2024
Melona (Binggrae Co Ltd) 53.4 55.2 57.1 69.0 84.4 12.1
World Cone (Lotte Group) 63.3 66.1 64.3 71.9 76.7 4.9
Ssamanco (Binggrae Co Ltd) 62.1 64.6 66.6 72.1 74.8 4.7
Together (Binggrae Co Ltd) 63.7 66.0 69.0 70.9 70.0 2.4
Häagen-Dazs (General Mills Inc) 50.1 56.3 59.2 61.8 65.2 6.8
Bravo Cone (Binggrae Co Ltd) 39.3 41.0 48.1 52.9
Bibibig (Binggrae Co Ltd) 33.4 34.4 36.4 42.9 49.4 10.3
Bbangbbarae (Lotte Group) 37.9 40.2 39.2 43.2 46.7 5.3
Nougat Bar (Binggrae Co Ltd) 30.6 31.4 38.4 42.3
Pangttoa (Binggrae Co Ltd) 30.9 32.1 32.8 33.2 33.7 2.2

Source: Euromonitor International, 2025

*CAGR: Compound annual growth rate

Savoury snacks

Sales of savoury snacks in South Korea saw strong annual growth of 6.0% over 2020 to 2024 with strongest sales growth in vegetables, pulse, and bread chips, potato chips, and nuts, seeds, and trail mixes. Sales growth is expected to be 4.9% annually over 2025 to 2029.

According to Euromonitor, South Korean consumers in their 30s and 40s are driving savoury snacks sales, particularly those that pair well with alcoholic drinks, and are expected to maintain solid sales growth over 2025 to 2029. Private labels have seen substantial growth in recent years, especially popcorn. Products such as No Brand Potato Chips, and CU's Consommé Popcorn have achieved price competitiveness by streamlining distribution processes. The combination of competitive pricing and favourable social media buzz has positioned private label snacks as a strong contender in the market, appealing to a wide range of consumers looking for value without compromising on taste.

One of the emerging trends boosting sales in this category is "fun marketing", whereby consumers become part of the product narrative. Examples include the partnership between Kiri and Binch, as well as Kancho and Custard. The combination of Kancho Custard with milk has become popular amongst consumers, who share their creative consumption ideas on social media, driving viral trends.

Savoury snacks retail value sales by subcategory - Historic retail sales in US$ millions
Category 2020 2024 CAGR* % 2020-2024 2025 2029 CAGR* % 2024-2029
Savoury snacks 1,991.8 2,512.1 6.0 2,649.3 3,209.2 4.9
Puffed Snacks 862.1 1,076.2 5.7 1,139.3 1,338.7 4.1
Potato Chips 257.8 401.6 11.7 433.4 605.2 8. 7
Nuts, Seeds and Trail Mixes 265.5 309.3 3.9 323.4 391.8 4.9
Meat Snacks 162.9 196.0 4.7 200.9 222.7 2.6
Seafood Snacks 120.5 133.1 2.5 138.6 157.4 3.2
Popcorn 85.7 125.2 9.9 129.3 153.3 4.4
Savoury Biscuits 78.7 85.0 1.9 87.8 96.4 2.4
Other Savoury Snacks 37.0 54.6 10.2 59.6 78.2 7.0
Rice Snacks 65.2 62.0 −1.2 63.7 72.1 3.1
Tortilla Chips 34.4 38.9 3.1 40.8 49.3 4.8
Vegetable, Pulse and Bread Chips 11.2 16.3 9.9 18.1 26.8 10.3
Pretzels 10.8 13.8 6.4 14.4 17.3 4.7

Source: Euromonitor International, 2025

*CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate

Top ten savoury snack brands in South Korea - Retail sales in US$ millions
Brand (company) 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 CAGR* % 2020-2024
Saewookang (Nongshim Co Ltd) 115.8 123.5 145.0 189.0 200.0 14.6
Orion (Orion Group) 124.7 123.5 127.3 175.7 188.1 10.8
Crown (Crown Confectionery Co Ltd) 113.8 103.3 109.8 118.2 121.0 1.5
Pringles (Kellanova) 112.0 118.0
Kokalcorn (Lotte Group) 100.0 93.0 92.6 97.0 100.0 0.0
Nong Shim (Nongshim Co Ltd) 43.7 41.8 40.7 80.0 88.0 19.1
Max Bong (CJ Corp) 72.0 71.2 73.7 77.1 79.5 2.5
Honey Butter & Other Almond series (Gilim International Co Ltd) 58.7 65.0 69.0 75.0 78.0 7.4
Mat Dongsan (Crown Confectionery Co Ltd) 61.0 61.5 57.0 59.5 65.0 1.6
Honey Butter Chips (Crown Confectionery Co Ltd) 58.5 57.6 53.0 58.0 60.0 0.6

Source: Euromonitor International, 2025

*CAGR: Compound annual growth rate

Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks

The total retail sales of this category grew 3.0% annually to reach US$1.1 billion in 2024 and is expected to continue growing steadily by 4.3% annually over 2025 to 2029.

According to Euromonitor, consumers are seeking out lower sugar, lower calorie options that allow them to indulge without guilt or health risks. The increasing emphasis on health and wellness is posing challenges for chocolate coated biscuits, filled biscuits, and wafers. Manufacturers are faced with the task of reformulating their products to meet the demands of health-conscious consumers, while still delivering the flavours and textures that make their products enjoyable.

Within the sweet biscuits category, there has been an increase in the consumption of plain biscuits, particularly those that pair well with beverages such as coffee, wine, and whiskies. This is being driven by the growing sophistication of South Korean consumers and their interest in pairing snacks with their favourite drinks. Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks in South Korea is set to increase annual sales growth over 2025 to 2029 to 4.3%. Protein/Energy bars is anticipated to continue to see the strongest growth.

Health and pleasure trends, often referred to as "healthy pleasure", are expected to continue over 2025 to 2029. They are expected to drive popularity of protein/energy bars, as consumers seek out snacks that are both nutritious and satisfying. Given the growing interest in low sugar and low calorie options, sweet biscuits are expected to face more challenges.

Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks retail value sales by product category - Historic retail sales in US$ millions
Category 2020 2024 CAGR* % 2020-2024 2025 2029 CAGR* % 2024-2029
Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks 976.9 1,098.3 3.0 1,154.4 1,365.8 4.3
Filled Biscuits 231.7 229.3 −0.3 242.4 280.3 3.7
Chocolate Coated Biscuits 232.5 238.6 0.6 242.4 277.0 3.4
Cookies 176.4 184.5 1.1 192.3 216.9 3.1
Plain Biscuits 161.2 183.7 3.3 194.2 216.1 2.7
Protein/Energy Bars 28.5 73.5 26.7 84.2 127.5 10.9
Cereal Bars 48.2 78.7 13.0 83.7 114.6 8.2
Wafers 77.2 81.2 1.3 84.3 95.1 3.1
Dried Fruit 21.1 28.8 8.1 31.0 38.4 5.6

Source: Euromonitor International, 2025

*CAGR: Compound annual growth rate

Top ten sweet biscuits, snack bars, and fruit snack brands in South Korea - Retail sales in US$ millions
Brand (company) 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 CAGR* % 2020-2024
Pepero (Lotte Group) 109.9 116.1 125.2 120.2 115.3 1.2
Dr You (Orion Group) 72.7 72.7 79.4 97.9 111.2 11.2
Homerun Ball (Crown Confectionery Co Ltd) 75.4 67.5 66.0 64.0 62.7 −4.5
Oreo (Mondelez International Inc) 42.5 39.4 43.6 46.6 49.1 3.7
Lotte (Lotte Group) 39.8 35.1 35.6 39.0 42.1 1.4
Hime (Crown Confectionery Co Ltd) 29.7 29.2 33.2 34.9 36.2 5.1
Margaret (Lotte Group) 35.7 33.0 34.9 36.2 35.6 0.0
Crown (Crown Confectionery Co Ltd) 26.0 26.9 24.8 27.0 29.6 3.3
Orion (Orion Group) 24.9 26.2 30.9 29.2 28.0 3.0
Choco Songi (Orion Group) 24.1 24.7 25.8 25.0 24.3 0.1

Source: Euromonitor International, 2025

*CAGR: Compound annual growth rate

Retail channels

Over 2020 to 2024, offline channels, which accounted for 64% of total retail snack sales in 2024, experienced mixed growth, while ecommerce sales grew 9.0% annually. Non-grocery retailers, such as food/drink/tobacco specialists and health and beauty specialists, grew strongly over 2020 to 2024 to more than double their sales in 2024. Food/drink/tobacco specialists grew fastest by 37.4% annually. After surging over 2020 to 2021, Ecommerce sales grew steadily over 2020 to 2024 to become comparable in sales to hypermarkets.

Distribution channels for snacks in South Korea - Retail value sales in US$ millions
Outlet type 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 CAGR* % 2020-2024
Retail channels 5,547.8 5,555.3 5,842.5 6,260.3 6,616.5 4.5
Convenience Stores 1,485.8 1,395.4 1,527.9

1,633.0

1,691.2 3.3
Supermarkets 1,532.4 1,387.8 1,401.9 1,399.2 1,426.2 −1.8
Hypermarkets 899.2 880.8 942.3 991.4 1,101.6 5.2
Retail E-Commerce 655.9 679.6 696.8 818.9 924.8 9.0
Small Local Grocers 612.0 533.6 530.9 531.4 508.7 −4.5
Food/drink/tobacco specialists 124.1 398.3 365.1 398.7 441.6 37.4
Warehouse Clubs 89.1 97.6 148.9 214.6 212.6 24.3
General Merchandise Stores 75.7 98.7 124.0 146.7 171.8 22.7
Health and Beauty Specialists 34.5 44.0 58.4 72.3 82.3 24.2
Discounters 28.9 29.3 32.6 38.7 39.1 7.9
Vending 4.4 3.8 5.8 7.0 7.5 14.0
Forecourt Retailers 4.0 4.2 4.8 5.2 5.7 9.4
Direct Selling 1.8 2.3 3.1 3.3 3.3 16.0

Source: Euromonitor International, 2025

*CAGR: Compound annual growth rate

New product launches

A total of 2,777 new snack products were introduced over 2020 to 2024. Top claims were "High/added protein", "Premium", "No additives/preservatives", and "Low/No/Reduced allergen", which suggests that consumers prefer premium and health-conscious snacks. Top flavours included plain and roasted/toasted, followed by chocolate and cheese.

New launches of snacks products in Singapore, 2020 to 2025
Product attributes Number of new products by year Total
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Yearly product launches 526 518 551 595 587 2,777
Top 10 claims
Not Specified 156 176 195 181 242 950
Convenient Packaging 69 49 51 60 62 291
High/Added Protein 35 64 54 69 59 281
Premium 64 38 62 58 50 272
Ease of Use 43 37 71 32 35 218
Social Media 32 46 50 46 32 206
No Additives/Preservatives 44 29 42 37 22 174
Low/No/Reduced Allergen 20 39 45 30 40 174
Wholegrain 46 35 38 27 20 166
Microwaveable 20 23 34 51 33 161
Top 10 companies
Emart / E-Mart 36 11 16 28 15 106
Haitai Confectionery & Foods 6 10 12 16 27 71
Homeplus / Home Plus 19 13 9 17 10 68
Lotte Shopping 18 9 5 21 3 56
Orion Confectionery 15 10 13 15 2 55
Dongwoo Nongsan 13 3 8 16 10 50
HBAF 0 0 16 16 15 47
Nongshim 11 8 7 9 11 46
Lotte Confectionery 23 17 1 0 0 41
GS Retail 5 6 2 7 20 40
Top 5 flavours (including blend)
Unflavoured/Plain 109 82 92 111 100 494
Roasted/Toasted 39 19 32 35 27 152
Chocolate 10 15 10 9 6 50
Cheese 17 5 10 10 8 50
Flavours Unavailable 10 4 9 4 12 39
Launch types
New Product 261 267 244 217 227 1,216
New Variety/Range Extension 189 171 213 265 273 1,111
New Packaging 64 57 78 96 79 374
Relaunch 10 19 15 15 8 67
New Formulation 2 4 1 2 0 9
Top 5 package types
Flexible 290 285 270 287 305 1,437
Flexible stand-up pouch 140 150 200 189 169 848
Skinpack 19 16 28 43 33 139
Flexible sachet 29 24 17 16 22 108
Jar 17 19 12 22 17 87
Product origin
Imported 22 42 31 35 40 170
Not imported 8 6 5 26 19 64
Other 496 470 515 534 528 2,543
Source: Mintel GNPD, 2025

New product examples

Grass-Fed Beef Chips
Company Socialbean
Manufacturer GM Food Lab
Brand Firgi
Category Snacks
Sub-category Meat snacks
Market South Korea
Store name Naver
Store type Internet / mail order
Date published December 2024
Launch type New product
Price in US dollars 14.19

Firgi Grass-Fed Beef Chips retail in a 40 gram pack. - 99% New Zealand beef - Free from sugar, vinegar and preservatives

Spicy Black Pork Jerky
Company Deokjeon887
Manufacturer Narae Food
Brand Deokjeon
Category Snacks
Sub-category Meat snacks
Market South Korea
Store name Navar
Store type Internet / mail order
Date published December 2024
Product source Physical product
Launch type New product
Price in US dollars 3.92

Deokjeon Spicy Black Pork Jerky retails in a 40 gram pack. - Free from 7 additives and reduced salt content with nuruk salt - Nuruk salt is a natural seasoning made by fermenting rice nuruk, a type of yeast starter, which imparts a blend of salty, sweet, and umami flavors; Logos and certifications: HACCP

Jerky Habanero Buldak Flavour
Company Pulmuone
Manufacturer Eden F&C
Brand Pulmuone Jigusikdan Plant Based
Category Snacks
Sub-category Bean-based snacks
Market South Korea
Store name pulmuoneshop.co.kr
Store type Internet / mail order
Date published October 2024
Launch type New variety / range extension
Price in US dollars 5.98

Pulmuone Jigusikdan Plant Based Habanero Buldak Flavour Jerky retails in a 100 gram pack. - High in protein with 29 gram protein - 100% plant based - Made with soy - No added meat - High dietary fibre with 6 gram dietary fibre. Logos and certifications: QR code, Jigusarang, HACCP, CCM.

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Resources

  • Euromonitor International:
    • Snacks in South Korea (June 2024)
    • Savoury snacks in South Korea (June 2024)
    • Chocolate confectionary in South Korea (June 2024)
    • Gum in South Korea (July 2022)
    • Ice cream in South Korea (June 2024)
    • Sugar confectionary in South Korea (June 2024)
    • Sweet biscuits, snack bars, and fruit snacks in South Korea (June 2024)
  • Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), 2025

Sector Trends Analysis – Snacks in South Korea
Global Analysis Report

Prepared by: Kris Clipsham, Market Analyst

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