[Edaily Reporter Kim Ji-woo ] Food companies are targeting demand for so-called “home-delivered chicken” by elevating the taste and quality of their frozen chicken and sauces to the level of specialty chicken restaurants. This strategy is aimed at consumers who find ordering a whole chicken too much but find eating just chicken breast too bland.

According to market research firm Euromonitor on the 7th, the size of the domestic frozen chicken market is estimated to have grown from approximately 140 billion won in 2022 to around 160 billion won last year. As demand for convenient chicken meals at home has increased, food companies are refining their marketing strategies. For example, frozen chicken products aim to replicate the taste and texture of specialty restaurants, while collaborative lunch box offerings transform popular chicken menu items into complete meals. Additionally, to target consumers concerned about health and weight management, companies are introducing low-sugar seasoned chicken sauces that enhance the flavor of chicken when combined with ingredients of the consumer’s choice.

Ourhome recently collaborated with BHC Chicken to launch two new products under its frozen meal brand “On the Go”: “Ppuringkkel Cream Pasta” and “Matchoking Grilled Chicken Rice.” These products reinterpret BHC’s signature chicken dishes as pasta and chicken rice, respectively, while offering the convenience of being ready in under five minutes in the microwave.

Ourhome adopted a strategy of lowering the barrier to entry for these new products by leveraging well-established chicken menu items. This move expands the reach of signature dishes—which were primarily consumed for dinner or as late-night snacks—into the lunch and solo-dining markets. In essence, the food company and the chicken franchise have joined forces to create a new market, even as they compete for consumer demand.

CJ CheilJedang Corp(097950)Eun is challenging the restaurant and delivery markets with ready-to-cook frozen chicken. Last June, it launched “Sobaba Chicken”—previously part of the Gourmet product line—as an independent chicken brand called “Sobaba.” Following the launch of Soy Honey, Spicy Honey, Masso Kick, and Red Hot, the company introduced “Golden Holic,” a fried chicken product, expanding its product lineup by flavor and cut much like a franchise.

The market response has been positive. Since its launch in 2023 through the first quarter of this year, Sobaba Chicken has surpassed cumulative sales of 250 billion won and cumulative sales volume of 25 million packs. Last year, CJ CheilJedang Corp.’s total chicken product sales exceeded 12 million packs, setting an all-time record. Accordingly, CJ CheilJedang Corp. plans to develop Sobaba into a major brand that spans both the dine-in and delivery markets.

In addition, CJ CheilJedang Corp.’s Sobaba frozen chicken series has consistently ranked among the top 10 in CU’s frozen ready-to-eat food category, and last month, CU even sold the 4,900-won Sobaba Golden Holic chicken pieces.

Last month, Dongwon F&F launched “Kebasak,” a new frozen chicken product manufactured in-house, moving beyond original equipment manufacturing (OEM) products. A Dongwon F&F official stated, “We designed this product so that consumers can enjoy the crispiness of freshly fried chicken at home, just like they would at a restaurant.”

Food companies are targeting “those moments when ordering a whole chicken just doesn’t make sense.” This strategy is aimed at the trend of smaller household sizes. According to the National Data Agency, single-person households numbered 8,045,000 in 2024, accounting for 36.1% of all households.

Competition is also heating up in the seasoned chicken sauce market, which adds the flavor of specialty shops to existing ingredients like chicken breast and nuggets. This trend targets the demand for diet management through low-sugar and low-calorie formulations. Dongwon Home Food was an early entrant into this market. Since Dongwon Home Food supplies customized sauces to chicken franchises, it is leveraging its sauce expertise to launch its own products. After releasing the “Vivid Kitchen Low-Calorie Seasoned Chicken Sauce” in 2022, Dongwon Home Food has received positive feedback and is now exporting the product overseas, including to the United States.

Daesang(001680)Daesang has also entered the sauce competition. Last month, Daesang’s Cheongjeonwon “LowTag” brand launched a “Low-Sugar Seasoned Chicken Sauce.” The product contains 30 kcal and 2 g of sugar per 100 g and is characterized by the use of allulose instead of sugar.

An industry insider noted, “For consumers eating alone, the amount they have to spend at once and the amount of leftovers can be factors in their purchasing decisions,” adding, “This is why companies are offering frozen chicken that allows consumers to cook only the amount they need and single-serving meal kits.”

Another industry official noted, “With the increasing prevalence of air fryers in homes, there is a trend of launching products one after another to target consumers who are feeling the burden of price hikes at franchise chicken restaurants and high delivery fees,” adding, “We are focusing our efforts on research and development to narrow the gap in taste and quality compared to specialty chicken restaurants.”