Exploring Lotte's Legacy: A Journey Through Korean Snacks and Drinks
Lotte is a multinational powerhouse in the snack and beverage industry. With headquarters located in Seoul, the company is officially a South Korean brand, even though it was founded in Japan.
Lotte is famous for manufacturing a variety of snacks, sweets, and beverages. Some of their biggest brands are Lotte Choco Pie, Binch Biscuits, Pepero, Koala's March, and Milkis. In this post, we’ll explore all of these famous brands and their iconic status in South Korea and beyond. Let’s start by reminiscing about the origins of the Lotte brand.
Lotte's Roots: A Brief History
After finishing high school, Korean migrant Shin Kyuk-ho traveled to Tokyo, Japan for his college education in 1941. Two years after he graduated, Shin founded Lotte Corporation in 1948. The company sold chewing gum and quickly became successful in post-war Japan. This success allowed him to gather enough capital to create Lotte Confectionery in 1967 in South Korea, his home country.
The 1970s and 1980s saw Lotte expand into a variety of other businesses, including hotel management, beverage making, retail shopping, and frozen foods. In the 1990s and 2000s, the company enjoyed global expansion, turning to markets like China, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. In 2023, Lotte Corporation changed its name to Lotte Wellfood. It remains the most important part of the corporation and is responsible for creating most of the delicious delights we’re about to explore.
Lotte Choco Pie: A Sweet Staple
The Lotte Choco Pie is a popular Korean snack brand that consists of sandwiches made with chocolate-covered sponge cakes and marshmallow filling. Lotte started selling these pies in 1979. The snack became more popular in South Korea after the Korean War. It’s similar in appearance and ingredients to American Moon Pie. Tongyang were the first to create something similar with the release of Orion Choco Pie in the 1970s. Today, Lotte’s version is considered a staple snack and kids especially love the creamy and sweet tastes. There are several variations of Lotte Choco Pie in Korea. The following is an overview of the most popular choco pies:
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Original: This is the classic version of the snack. Each piece is made with creamy marshmallow filling sandwiched by two cakes coated with sweet chocolate. You’ll find it in the lunch boxes of millions of kids in Korea.
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Cacao Dark Chocolate: The cakes in this version are coated with cacao dark chocolate. It’s the perfect quick snack for busy adults who spend a lot of time on the road or at the office.
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Green Tea: Lotte combined the slightly bitter taste of matcha (powdered green tea) with the creamy sweetness of chocolate, marshmallow, and cake. Both adults and kids can enjoy this snack, thanks to its balanced flavor.
Pepero: More Than Just a Snack
Pepero is a brand of chocolate-dipped pretzel sticks manufactured and marketed by Lotte. The brand was first launched by Lotte Confectionery in 1983, becoming an instant hit among the people of South Korea. Pepero uses a similar concept to Glico’s Pocky, another chocolate-coated biscuit stick from Japan. In fact, there have been multiple accusations of copyright infringement made by Glico concerning the similarities between the two products.
Pepero is so popular in South Korea that it has its own holiday. November 11 is Pepero Day, a date reserved for the annual celebration of the snack through gifting and sharing among friends, family, colleagues, and romantic partners. More than half of Pepero’s annual sales occur on this day. Lotte has created a wide array of Pepero flavors, including the following:
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Original (Dark Chocolate): This classic Pepero became famous for its simplicity and portability. The biscuit sticks are super thin and the chocolate is mild-flavored.
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Strawberry: The Lotte Pepero Strawberry is exclusive to Korea. It features the original crunchy biscuit sticks; however, instead of chocolate, they are coated with strawberry cream.
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Almond: This version has a chocolate coating. However, the biscuit sticks are also covered in bits of almond, giving the snack a nutty twist.
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White Chocolate Cookie: A favorite among Pepero lovers all over the world, this version features thin biscuits dipped in white chocolate and cookie crumbs.
Milkis: The Unique Korean Beverage
Milkis is a Korean carbonated soft drink brand owned by Lotte Chilsung Beverage, a subsidiary of the Lotte Corporation. Chilsung has released many beverages since its founding in 1950, such as Chilsung Cider, Chilsung Cola, and Chum-Churum. Milkis is one of its most successful releases, generating millions in revenue every year and earning a spot among the most popular Korean drinks.
Launched in 1989, Milkis stood out from other carbonated beverages by combining the typical sugar and soda water with milk. This created a creamy taste unlike other mainstream soft drinks at the time. Many competitors using a similar milk-based formula have sprung up since then, but Milkis remains Korea's No. 1 cream soda. The brand is also incredibly popular in Taiwan and the United States. The following are some of the best Milkis flavors:
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Original: The classic version of the soft drink is filled with milk, yogurt, and corn syrup flavors. Many chefs use it as a glaze when making pastries. Its sweet and creamy taste is a refreshing take on modern soda.
Bokksu is not responsible for the accuracy of the products’ nutritional or allergen information. Warning: California’s Proposition 65 may be in effect. For more information,visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. Some Bokksu Market products are produced overseas and may have a Production Date printed on the packaging, rather than a Best Buy Date as is standard in North America. If your product appears expired, do not be alarmed! This is most likely the Production Date. All items have been double checked to ensure they are not expired and safe to eat.
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Melon: This version contains the juicy flavor of melon while maintaining the fizzy, yet creamy taste of the original milk beverage.
Bokksu is not responsible for the accuracy of the products’ nutritional or allergen information. Warning: California’s Proposition 65 may be in effect. For more information,visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. Some Bokksu Market products are produced overseas and may have a Production Date printed on the packaging, rather than a Best Buy Date as is standard in North America. If your product appears expired, do not be alarmed! This is most likely the Production Date. All items have been double checked to ensure they are not expired and safe to eat.
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Strawberry: The taste of strawberry brings a natural balance to this soft drink. It’s the perfect refreshment after a lengthy workout.
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Peach: It features Korean peach, which brings a light, smooth, and refreshing flavor to the creamy drink.
Innovative Confectioneries: Lotte's Sweet Innovations
Through subsidiary Lotte Wellfoods (formerly Lotte Confectionery), the parent corporation has launched dozens of candies, chewing gums, and jelly. People in Asia often associate Lotte with premium chocolate snacks, thanks to flagship products like Pepero, Lotte Ghana Milk Chocolate Bar, and Chic-Choc chocolate chip cookies.
The brand has also released some of the most iconic chewing gums in Asia, such as Xylitol, Spearmint, and Freshmint. Lovers of sweet biscuits can explore Koala's March, Binch Biscuits, and Kancho. Lotte Jelly Lolipop is one of the country’s lesser-known products but is still an exciting sugar-coated candy loved by kids all over Korea.
Lotte in the Beverage Market: From Sodas to Juices
Lotte serves the Asian beverage market through Chilsung Beverage. We’ve already mentioned a few of its top beverage brands, such as Milkis (milk-based soda), Chilsung Cider (lime-flavored soda), Chilsung Cola (cola drink), and Chum-Churum (soju or Korean distilled alcoholic beverage). Now it’s time to reveal some of the other beverages in their long line of products.
The company offers a wide variety of natural fruit juices. Orange, apple, tangerine, mango, and grape are some of the available juice flavors. They have also collaborated with top juice brands like Del Monte to produce popular products.
Lotte is also responsible for the production of the No. 1 canned instant coffee, Let's Be and the famous black tea drink, Ceylon Tea. The brand also boasts a range of traditional drinks that offer many health benefits. Other beverages under the Lotte umbrella include Scotch Blue whiskey drink, Trevi sparkling water, and 2% refreshing water.
Lotte's Impact on Korean Culture: Food and K-Pop
Lotte products have become embedded in daily South Korean life and festivities. In a country where so many people loved to eat snacks, the company quickly found a suitable market for their unique products. There’s a Lotte snack, confectionery, or beverage in nearly every celebration in Korea. The company also helped to modernize the food industry in Asia.
Lotte products establish a sense of national pride. Some of its bestsellers, like Pepero and Xylitol gum, are seen as national treasures. By succeeding in the Western market, Lotte has also enhanced the reputation of Korean food in countries like the U.S. and the U.K.
Lotte Corporation often leverages K-content in its promotions and sponsorship campaigns, especially K-pop. Lotte Duty Free, a division of the corporation’s hotel business, regularly hosts K-pop concerts, web-based K-drama, and fan meet-and-greets with Korean superstars. The company has worked with many A-listers, such as K-pop girl group Aespa and K-drama actor Lee Jun-ho. Stars that have appeared in some of their all-night parties and live concerts include DJ Yesong, Lee Jun-ho, DJ Vandal Rock, and Twice.
Global Reach: Lotte's Expansion Worldwide
Lotte’s strategy for expansion into international markets features multiple approaches. The brand has shown that it has no problems establishing branches in foreign countries. These overseas subsidiarizes form the basis of Lotte’s international infrastructure. The company has also formed strategic partnerships with established global brands. By entering markets through already established companies, Lotte can successfully adapt to meet local tastes.
Do you want a taste of Lotte? Before you start shopping for snacks and beverages, we recommend that you take a look at the following list of must-try products.
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Lotte Choco Pie
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Lotte Pepero: White Chocolate Cookie
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Lotte Milkis Soft Drink: Original
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Lotte Koala's March: Chocolate
Bokksu is not responsible for the accuracy of the products’ nutritional or allergen information. Warning: California’s Proposition 65 may be in effect. For more information,visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. Some Bokksu Market products are produced overseas and may have a Production Date printed on the packaging, rather than a Best Buy Date as is standard in North America. If your product appears expired, do not be alarmed! This is most likely the Production Date. All items have been double checked to ensure they are not expired and safe to eat.
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Lotte Choco Pie: Green Tea
All of the products mentioned above are available globally, either via local retail stores or Asian stores like Bokksu Market.
Sustainability Efforts: Lotte's Green Initiatives
The company uses innovative methods to help meet sustainability goals and make the environment a better place for all of us. It has made efforts to switch to renewable energy at major facilities. Employees are also given various sustainability training. Lotte seems to be using a backcasting approach to meet sustainability goals they have set for 2048.
The Lasting Appeal of Lotte
Lotte is already one of the biggest businesses in Korea and doesn’t seem ready to slow down anytime soon. If history is anytime to go by, we can expect Lotte to branch out even further by starting ventures in new industries. The variety in existing brands will also expand as new variants are added to the list. Many people are calling for products like Korean cinnamon punch, ginseng tea, and banana milk. So, we might see some of them with the brand’s logo in the future. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Lotte products.
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