[Edaily Reporter KYUNG GYEYOUNG ] CU’s unique snack, “Truffle Hamon Stick,” ranked first in sales in the snack category at CU this month.

According to CU, the convenience store chain operated by BGF Retail(282330), on the 18th, the “Truffle Hamon Stick” was the top-selling snack at CU from the 1st to the 15th of this month. “Truffle Hamon Chips” ranked 4th, and “Truffle Hamon Kkang” ranked 10th. Previously, CU launched “Truffle Hamon Kkang” and “Truffle Hamon Chips” in July, followed by “Truffle Hamon Sticks” last month.

As of the 15th, cumulative sales of the three Truffle Hamon products had surpassed 1.5 million units. In particular, sales growth has accelerated sharply, with sales over the first half of this month already exceeding twice the total sales for the entire month of September. Driven by the popularity of Truffle Hamon, sales of CU’s differentiated snack line increased by 82.3% in October compared to the same period last year.

On CU’s proprietary app, “Pocket CU,” the Truffle Hamon series ranked among the top three real-time trending search terms. As supply has been unable to keep up with demand, CU is currently limiting the order quantities for all three varieties at its stores.

Until now, the convenience store snack market has been dominated by steady sellers such as “Saeuwokkang,” “Potato Chips,” and “Pokachip,” which are considered “national snacks.”

The Truffle Hamon series’ unprecedented success as a new product was driven by word-of-mouth on social media and online communities. The use of Italian black truffles and Spanish ham as key ingredients, which brought out the natural flavors and aromas of the ingredients, piqued consumers’ interest.

The Truffle Hamon series is the result of a collaboration between a CU merchandise planner (MD) and a partner company, based on a joint analysis of current trends. Noting the popularity of biscuits combining truffles and ham, the two parties developed the crispy “Truffle Ham Crackers,” the light-textured “Truffle Ham Chips,” and the elongated “Truffle Ham Sticks.”

Hwang Bo-min, an MD on the Snack Food Team at BGF Retail, said, “We will continue to satisfy customers’ diverse tastes through distinctive flavors and shapes, and consistently introduce products that reflect new snack trends.”