Orion potato snack sales approach ₩1 trillion as China and Vietnam drive growth

Overseas markets account for 73% of sales

Orion is moving closer to ₩1 trillion in annual potato snack revenue as growth in China and Vietnam adds to its established South Korean business. The company recorded ₩874 billion in global potato snack sales last year, according to The Fact. Overseas markets generated 73% of that total, highlighting how the category has developed into an international business rather than an extension of domestic snack sales.

Potato snack revenue has grown at an average annual rate of 9% over the past three years. Orion now sells six potato snack brands and about 70 flavor variants across South Korea, China and Vietnam. Four of the company’s nine global megabrands with annual sales above ₩100 billion are potato products: Poca Chip, Oh! Potato, Swing Chip and Yegam. The portfolio is benefiting from demand for snacks that contain a high proportion of potato and undergo relatively limited processing compared with conventional wheat- or corn-based products.

China becomes the main growth engine

China is central to Orion’s expansion. Oh! Potato generated ₩260 billion in sales there last year as a single brand. Potato snacks including Oh! Potato, Swing Chip and Yegam represented 41% of the Chinese subsidiary’s total revenue. In the first quarter, Swing Chip overtook Choco Pie sales to become Orion’s second-largest brand in China, while the subsidiary’s potato snack revenue rose 21% from the same period a year earlier.

Product development is tailored to local preferences rather than built around a uniform global range. Chinese launches include garlic butter Oh! Potato; Swing Chip flavors based on jianshuicheng and coriander taco; and dipping Yegam products in barbecue and passion fruit variants. Orion plans to increase supply alongside the broader portfolio: completion of an additional Swing Chip production line will raise available volume by 25% from the current level.

Capacity rises in South Korea and distribution expands in Vietnam

In South Korea, Orion introduced Poca Chip and Swing Chip made with newly harvested potatoes in June, positioning them as seasonal snacks. The company is also adding a production line at its Cheongju plant. Once the expansion is completed in the second half of the year, the plant’s production capacity will be 50% higher than before. Orion has additionally introduced Hoho Potato Cracker, which combines potato with flour instead of using only flour like a conventional cracker.

Vietnam provides a different example of localization. Orion launched sour cream Poca Chip, sold locally as O’Star, and taco-flavored Swing Chip for consumers interested in sports, while expanding dedicated snack displays. Women Times reports that Poca Chip has remained Vietnam’s leading potato snack by market share since 2017, ahead of Lay’s. Across the three markets, Orion is pairing locally developed flavors with local manufacturing and additional retail space. The capacity investments in South Korea and China are intended to prevent supply constraints as the company seeks to extend the growth that has brought annual category sales close to ₩1 trillion.