South Korea’s Binggrae, a manufacturer of ice cream, milk products, and snacks since 1967, has developed a dairy-free version of its iconic honeydew Melona ice bars, aiming to expand to other dynamic markets besides the USA.
Australia, Canada, and Europe maintain high non-tariff barriers for imported dairy products, posing significant challenges to foreign companies. To streamline its entry into these markets, Binggrae revamped Melona’s recipe by using oats to replace skimmed milk while maintaining the sweet’s unique flavor.
Binggrae expanded overseas in 1995, first arriving in Hawaii and becoming a household brand. However, it was not until 2016 that the company opened a US branch in San Francisco, selling ice cream bars, pints, and mochi. According to the manufacturer, Melona is America’s favorite Korean ice cream, accounting for 70% of all Korean ice cream sold there.
Triple sales growth in Europe
Sales of plant-based Melona in H1 2024 in Europe exceeded three times last year’s sales, reported Mail Business Newspaper. Intended for export only, the product launched first in Australia at Woolworths and Coles last year, followed by the Netherlands, Germany, the UK (where the dairy is sold in different flavors), and France.
The media outlet explains that Binggrae’s product was listed in the Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn and recorded high sales rates in Asian chains such as Germany’s Go Asia and the Netherlands’ Amazing Oriental. In Australia, Costco will introduce a Melona pack with melon, mango, and coconut flavors at the end of this year.
“Sales have increased sharply thanks to distribution channels such as Albert Heijn, a large Dutch supermarket chain, and the high popularity at Asian mart chains,” said a company official.
The South Korean company plans to expand its plant-based Melona lineup in Europe, building on its success in the US. The company official added, “We will expand our local lineup of plant-based ice cream and accelerate our targeting of the European market. We plan to develop new flavors and launch products tailored to local taste.”
Binggrae will showcase the plant-based Melona at SIAL 2024 in Paris this October.
