Although there are many new fruit products in the food industry, the craze actually started in the liquor business. (image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
Seoul, July 24 (Korea Bizwire)– Unlikely combinations that mix fruit flavors with soju, chips, coffee and even chicken are continuously being launched.
Fruit flavors seem to be dominating the food business, where honey butter flavors were the leading trend until early this year.
According food industry watchers, Haitai, who created the honey butter craze, recently launched a new product, Honey Tong-Tong Apple. It was the first attempt to add fruit flavors to potato chips in the business.
Orion also launched its Pocachip Lime Pepper, adding the refreshing taste of lime and savory taste of pepper, while Lotte introduced Lays potato chips sprinkled with fruit flavored spices like banana and apple, and a product called ‘The Chips ate Bananas’. Lotte had previously launched a popsicle named Real Farm with small bits of fruit mixed in.
Snacks are not the only area dominated by fruits. YogerPresso, a multi dessert café, released a new product called Snow Americano, which combines fruit juices with coffee.
As well, fruit flavors have been introduced to other unlikely food combinations, including chicken. Mexicana Chicken introduced a new product called Fruits Chicken, which has three flavors – banana, strawberry and melon.
Although there are many new fruit products in the food industry, the craze actually started in the liquor business.
Saecom-Dalcom Comju, a liquor with fruit flavors, produced by Kuksundang
Soonhari Cheoemchurum from Lotte Liquor was the second coming of the Honey Butter Chipcraze. Lotte recently added peach as a new flavor.
HiteJinro launched Grapefruit Isul, and Muhak introduced its Joeun Day Series with many fruit flavors, such as grapefruit, blueberry, pomegranate, and citron.
Whiskey has also jumped into the race. Pernod Ricard Korea’s top product, Imperial,was combined with pomegranate flavors to create a new alcoholic beverage called Eclatby Imperial. Windsor, from Diageo Korea, also created an alcoholic drink with jujube and fig flavors named Windsor W Ice as a competitor.
Snow Americano by Yoger Presso
The origin of the fruit craze can be found in the influence of the Honey Butter Chips that were launched last year. It seems like Honey Butter Chips created a new market with the ‘honey’ craze, and the flame is now shifting, trying to set the market a fire with fruit flavors.
Officials say that leaders in the business want to continue the success of Honey Butter Chips. “Since the food industry is suffering from along term slump, they are finding limitations in already existing marketing strategies, and are seeking new ways to breakthrough.”
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By Francine Jung (francine.jung@kobizmedia.co.kr)
