Nuts About HBAF: Savoring Korea's Finest Peanuts

Oct 21, 2024by Bokksu Staff

Healthy But Awesome Flavors (HBAF) is the largest processed nut brand in South Korea. The company produces a wide variety of snacks, but it’s famous for selling premium peanuts and almonds. Since Korea does not produce almonds, it has to import millions of dollars worth of almonds every year. The brand has become synonymous with Korean-style nut snacks, exporting its products to 25 different countries.

Interior of the Honey Butter Almond and Friends store in Seoul, South Korea.

The Rise of HBAF: A Nutty Revolution

In the early 1980s, what we now know as HBAF was a Seoul-based company called Gil Trading. They became Korea’s first importer of almonds in 1982 and quickly established a monopoly on almond importation for the next four years. The company later rebranded as Gil International in 1988. After nearly three decades of setting the standard for other organizations in the nuts trading business, Gil International released its first Honey Butter Almond snack product in 2015 under the name “Tom’s Farm.” The creamy, sweet taste, buttery aroma, and light design sparked the famous 21st-century almond craze in Korea.

HBAF almonds were so popular that the company decided to release more nut products and open a flagship store in Myeongdong, Seoul’s main shopping district. English-speaking tourists and expats who visited the store may have been responsible for creating the alternate and unofficial meaning of HBAF, which is “Honey Butter Almond and Friends.” The company officially changed its name to HBAF in 2021, but the acronym actually stands for Healthy But Awesome Flavors.

In the last few years, we’ve seen HBAF release more new products and run impressive media campaigns to expand their reach. Today, they sell flavored almonds and peanut snacks to more than 25 countries, including China, the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and the Netherlands.

Exterior view of HBAF store in Myeongdong, the famous honey butter almond snack in Korea

HBAF's Best Selling Peanut Products

Although HBAF almonds brought the company into the global spotlight, its Korean-style peanuts have become a popular choice among consumers worldwide. Let’s explore the best of them. The following are HBAF’s top-selling peanut snacks:

Wasabi Peanuts: The product is made from crunchy wasabi-coated peanuts, which gives it a spicy kick that slowly disappears with each bite. The honey flavor helps to balance out its strong taste.

HBAF Korean Style Peanuts: Wasabi

Add some spice to your life with these HBAF Korean-style Peanuts. Made with a quickly disappearing heat from the wasabi coating, these peanuts are quite the treat. The coating also includes honey, balancing out the wasabi flavor. Enjoy these during your next movie night!

Common Allergens: Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Wheat, Soy.

4.23 oz

Roasted & Salted Peanuts: This is arguably the most popular HBAF Korean-style peanuts in the U.S. Salty, savory, and downright delicious, this snack is the perfect companion for beer and cola drinks.

Honey Roasted Peanuts: Another peanut treat with a balanced savory-sweet taste, this is arguably HBAF’s most popular peanut product. We’ll reveal more about it in the next section of this post.

The Specialty of Honey Roasted Peanuts

The popular HBAF Honey Roasted Peanuts became an instant hit upon release. In a country where honey butter chips are one of the most beloved snacks, it's easy to see why this peanut flavor was such a big hit. It contains three simple but important ingredients, which are honey, salt, and peanuts sourced from America and other regions. The peanuts are roasted and coated with other ingredients to create a treat with sweet and savory flavors. The product is not just popular for its delicious taste but also for its portable design, which allows you to enjoy it anytime of the day. If you’re feeling inventive, you can add them to baked desserts, such as brownies and cakes.

Exploring the Range: HBAF’s Variety of Peanut Flavors

Everyone has their own unique tastes and preferences in snacks. So, just because certain HBAF peanut flavors are popular doesn’t make them the best choice for your taste buds. Let’s take a look at some of the lesser-known flavors and expand your options.

Daily Nuts Orange: This is one of HBAF’s most beloved mixed nuts. One whole bag contains peanuts, almonds, chickpeas, and walnuts, all flavored with yogurt cranberry.
Butter Coconut Peanuts: This creamy and crunchy peanut delight is made with rich butter and coconut milk.
Caramel Salted Peanuts & Pretzels: Besides the caramel-coated peanuts, this snack also comes with savory mini-pretzels.
Baked Corn Peanuts & Corn Fries: Lovers of corn products have double the enjoyment with peanuts flavored with baked corn mixed with salty corn kernels.
Sichuan Peanuts & Corn Fries: This product contains Sichuan-style peanuts, which have a unique spicy taste. It also includes salted corn kernels for a satisfying crunch.

Health Benefits of HBAF Peanuts

HBAF peanuts are more than savory treats. They also contain nutrients and active compounds that can be beneficial to your health. The peanuts are high in protein and healthy fats but low in carbs. They also serve as an excellent source of biotin, niacin (vitamin B3), and thiamine (vitamin B1), which help with pregnancy management, heart health, and muscle development, respectively.

We called the fat in the peanuts healthy because studies show that they don’t actively cause weight gain. They may even help with weight loss in a low-fat diet. Other potential health benefits include prevention of gallstones, healthy growth, and supply of antioxidants.

A farmer holding freshly harvested peanuts with roots in a field

HBAF and Korean Snack Trends

HBAF is influencing current trends in Korea’s snack market with its innovative approach to traditional nut snacks. People all over the country are enjoying peanuts and almonds made in flavors that were unheard of at the start of the 21st century. The four HBAF flagship stores in Seoul are basically tourist sites, as people from all over the world visit them to explore the variations of almonds, peanuts, chickpeas, puffcorns, malt balls, pretzels, and seaweed chips on display. The products also grace supermarkets, convenience stores, snack shops, and shopping centers all over South Korea.

Consumer Insights: Why Shoppers Choose HBAF

Consumers all over the world have offered feedback and testimonials that have highlighted why HBAF is a preferred brand for Korean snacks. The following is an overview of the core reasons HBAF is so popular in the country:

Use of healthy raw materials: HBAF uses natural nuts and healthy ingredients in its recipes. The company also relies on safe and health-conscious production practices.
Innovative flavors: In just a few years, HBAF has successfully created new, unique, and delicious flavors that we can confidently say have been more hits than misses. Many of these products, such as its green tea almonds, are considered healthy alternatives to traditional snacks.

Diverse offerings: Despite their strengths in the processed nuts market, HBAF is also passionate about producing pretzels, malt balls, seaweed chips, and other savory snacks.

HBAF Korean Style Almonds: Salted Caramel & Pretzel

Skip the snack prep and dive into these HBAF Korean-Style Almonds for a sweet, salty treat. Each resealable bag comes filled with decadent salted caramel coated and crunchy pretzels. With protein, healthy fats, and nutrients, these almonds will satisfy cravings and keep you full. It's a fantastic snack for outdoor sports and activities.

Common Allergens: Milk, Tree Nuts, Wheat, Soy.

4.23 oz

Pairing HBAF Peanuts with Other Foods

There are so many creative ways to enjoy HBAF peanuts with other foods and drinks. To enhance the snack-time experience, we recommend that you choose your pairings based on the flavor of the snacks. Honey-roasted flavors are perfect for baked desserts such as cakes, brownies, and cookies. Wasabi and Sichuan-style peanuts are best suited for cool soft drinks that will help to mask some of the spiciness. If you’re a fan of alcoholic beverages, roasted and salted peanuts are the ideal accompaniments for drinks like beer. They also taste fantastic with iced cola drinks.

decorating festive fruit cake with almond

Sustainability and Ethical Practices

The HBAF stakeholders have always been outspoken about their commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing practices in their production process. Their products are often labeled with information about the source of the peanuts they contain. The facilities in which they make these snacks are also HACCP and FSSC22000 certified. Hence, they meet all requirements for safety, quality control, and modern sustainability practices.

Seamless Shopping Experience: Where to Get HBAF Snacks

If you can’t visit Seoul, you can still get your hands on delicious HBAF snacks on Bokksu Market. Our collection includes top products like Wasabi Peanuts, Honey Roasted Peanuts, and Roasted & Salted Peanuts. Simply browse our store for your favorite authentic Korean flavors. We will ship them directly to your doorstep anywhere in the U.S.

Each product has dedicated customer reviews and star ratings, so you can see what other shoppers think about them before you buy. We also provide several perks, such as frequent discount deals and free shipping offers. Don’t just stop at HBAF peanuts and almonds; sort our snack category by “Korean” cuisine and you will find lots of Korea’s version of many popular snacks.

HBAF Korean Style Almonds: Black Sugar Milk Tea

If you're a fan of milk tea, you'll adore this Korean-style almond snack from Tom's Farm! It contains delightful almonds covered in chocolate and sweet black sugar, mimicking the flavor of boba tea. Enjoy this snack as a yummy treat by itself. Or, mix it with your favorite salted nuts for a sweet and savory trail mix.

Common Allergens: Milk, Tree Nuts, Wheat, Soy.

6.70 oz

The Future of Snacking with HBAF

The future looks bright for HBAF. In nine years, the company has produced more than 79 products. Many of them are considered the best Korean snacks in the world. We expect this number to exceed 100 in a few years. They haven’t made snacks like choco pies, fish cakes, and chocolate churros, which are popular in Korea.

HBAF will probably expand into more countries in the same timeframe, bringing their offerings to consumers desperate for healthy snack options. They may also go down the localization route, like many global snack brands before them, such as Japan’s Pocky and America’s Hershey’s. This strategy involves creating exclusive flavors for specific countries or regions. What we know for certain is that there are currently dozens of HBAF snacks available for you to enjoy!

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