South Korea Snacks Market 2025

A modest growth trajectory is forecasted for the South Korea snacks market, with an expected increase of USD 2.4 billion and a CAGR of roughly 4.9% from 2025 through 2030. South Korea’s snacks market thrives on cultural export and high-speed trend adoption. The K-pop and K-drama ecosystem has elevated local snack brands into global lifestyle symbols, driving demand not just domestically but among export-oriented producers. Local consumers are increasingly choosing snacks based on viral endorsements, packaging design, and alignment with celebrity culture. Flavors and textures – such as honey butter chips or chewy tteok-inspired candies – are developed for photogenic appeal as much as for taste. Innovation cycles are short, with R&D teams responding rapidly to real-time social media trends.

Regulatory pressure for transparency and health alignment is tightening the operating landscape. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is implementing stricter labeling norms and nutrient disclosure requirements, pushing manufacturers to reduce sodium and sugar content. Functional claims – gut health, energy boosting, stress relief – are increasingly validated by scientific evidence, giving rise to a segment of “snackceuticals.” This duality of entertainment-driven branding and regulatory-aligned functionality defines South Korea’s unique positioning as both a taste innovator and a compliance leader.

Providing a holistic view of the South Korea snacks market, this report analyzes historical performance from 2020 to 2024 and projects trends through 2030. It evaluates market size, growth rates, and key segments, uncovering the forces driving change in the sector. With a focus on product type and distribution channel, the report delivers a detailed analysis to inform strategic planning and market positioning.

Market Segmentation

The South Korea snacks market is structured as follows:
Product type: confectionery (chocolate confectionery, gum, sugar confectionery), ice cream and frozen dessert (frozen yoghurt, impulse ice creams, plant-based ice creams, take-home ice creams), savory snacks (corn and tortilla chips, meat snacks, nuts and seeds, popcorn, potato chips, pretzels, puffed snacks, rice snacks, savoury biscuits and crackers, seafood snacks, vegetable and pulse chips, others), fruit snacks, snack bars, sweet biscuits (chocolate biscuits, cookies, plain biscuits, stuffed biscuits, wafers)
Distribution channel: convenience stores, discounters, e-commerce, food specialty stores, general merchandise stores, health stores, hypermarkets, small grocery stores, supermarkets, warehouse clubs, others

The snacks market in South Korea is segmented based on product type and distribution channel. By product type, it includes confectionery (chocolate confectionery, gum, sugar confectionery), ice cream and frozen dessert (frozen yoghurt, impulse ice creams, plant-based ice creams, take-home ice creams), savory snacks (corn and tortilla chips, meat snacks, nuts and seeds, popcorn, potato chips, pretzels, puffed snacks, rice snacks, savoury biscuits and crackers, seafood snacks, vegetable and pulse chips, others), fruit snacks, snack bars, and sweet biscuits (chocolate biscuits, cookies, plain biscuits, stuffed biscuits, wafers). Distribution channel segmentation comprises convenience stores, discounters, e-commerce, food specialty stores, general merchandise stores, health stores, hypermarkets, small grocery stores, supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and others.

Competitive Landscape

Major participants in the snacks market comprise Binggrae Co. Ltd., CJ Corporation, Crown Confectionery Co. Ltd., Daesang Corporation, Dongwon Group, Ezaki Glico Co. Ltd., Ferrero International S.A., General Mills Inc., Gilim International Co. Ltd., Haribo GmbH & Company KG, J&E Corporation, Jinju Ham Co. Ltd., Kellanova, Kojubu F&B Co. Ltd., Loacker S.p.A., Lotte Corporation, Mars Incorporated, Mondelez International Inc., Mountain & Field, Murgerbon Co. Ltd., Nestle S.A., Nongshim Co. Ltd., Orion Group, OTTOGI CORPORATION. Ltd., PepsiCo Inc., Perfetti Van Melle Group, Post Holdings Inc., Sempio Foods Company Ltd., The Hershey Company, Trolli GmbH and Tsang Lin Industries Corp.

The report provides a detailed assessment of prominent companies within the snacks market, tracking their performance from 2020 to 2024. Insights reveal fluctuations in market share, highlighting both veteran leaders and emerging players.

Why Buy This Report?

Obtain precise statistical data and forecasts for the South Korea snacks market.
Gain in-depth analysis and forecasts for the key segments of the South Korea snacks market: product type and distribution channel.
Develop region-specific strategies and set strategic priorities based on localized data analysis.
Gain deep insights into the dynamics of the South Korea snacks market.
Identify high-potential investment opportunities by targeting growth sectors and emerging trends.
Anticipate the future trajectory of the South Korea snacks market with informed projections.
Assess the competitive landscape to determine the ideal timing for capitalizing on market opportunities.
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Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key Findings
Market Segmentation
Market Overview
South Korea Snacks Market – Product Type Analysis
South Korea Snacks Market – Distribution Channel Analysis
Company Shares Analysis
Binggrae Co., Ltd.
CJ Corporation
Crown Confectionery Co., Ltd.
Daesang Corporation
Dongwon Group
Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.
Ferrero International S.A.
General Mills, Inc.
Gilim International Co., Ltd.
…
Macroeconomic Data and Forecast
Research Methodology
Disclaimer

FIGURES AND TABLES
Table South Korea Snacks Market 2020-2030
Chart South Korea Snacks Market, Net Growth, 2020-2030
Chart South Korea Snacks Market, Growth Rates, 2020-2030
Table South Korea Snacks Market by Product Type, 2020-2030
Chart South Korea Snacks Market by Product Type, CAGR Historic and Forecast, 2020-2030
Chart South Korea Snacks Market by Product Type, 2020-2030
Table South Korea Snacks Market by Distribution Channel, 2020-2030
Chart South Korea Snacks Market by Distribution Channel, CAGR Historic and Forecast, 2020-2030
Chart South Korea Snacks Market by Distribution Channel, 2020-2030
Table South Korea Snacks Market Share (%), by Companies, 2020-2024
Chart South Korea Snacks Market, by Companies, 2024
Table South Korea Snacks Market Share (%), by Brands, 2020-2024
Chart South Korea Snacks Market, by Brands, 2024
Table South Korea – Population (Millions) and Forecast
Table South Korea – Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Forecast
Table South Korea – Gross Domestic Product and Forecast
Table South Korea Snacks Market: Spend as a Proportion of GDP (%)
Table South Korea Snacks Market: Consumption per Capita (Population)

Companies Mentioned

Binggrae Co., Ltd.
CJ Corporation
Crown Confectionery Co., Ltd.
Daesang Corporation
Dongwon Group
Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd.
Ferrero International S.A.
General Mills, Inc.
Gilim International Co., Ltd.
Haribo GmbH & Company KG
J&E Corporation
Jinju Ham Co., Ltd.
Kellanova
Kojubu F&B Co., Ltd.
Loacker S.p.A.
Lotte Corporation
Mars, Incorporated
Mondelez International Inc.
Mountain & Field
Murgerbon Co., Ltd.
Nestle S.A.
Nongshim Co., Ltd.
Orion Group
OTTOGI CORPORATION., Ltd.
PepsiCo, Inc.
Perfetti Van Melle Group
Post Holdings, Inc.
Sempio Foods Company Ltd.
The Hershey Company
Trolli GmbH
Tsang Lin Industries Corp.