Korean confectionery company Orion said it will begin manufacturing its signature corn chips Kkobuk Chip for sale in China from Thursday.

It will be sold under the Chinese name “Lang Li Ge Lang,” which directly translates to a wave inside a wave, referring to the wavy, layered look of the crispy snack. 

The production and sale of the corn soup flavored snack in China will be done via its overseas corporation in the country, the company said. 

Kkobuk Chip was launched in the domestic market in March last year. Since then, at least 32 million packets have been sold in a year. The company has raked in an average of 5 billion won ($4.6 million) per month from the brand.

Orion said it will target young Chinese consumers in their teens and 20s, and gradually expand its product portfolio in China by launching differentiated snacks there. 

“We expect Kkobuk Chip to become our new growth power to lead sales in China. We hope to solidify our base as a confectionary company in China following the hit Choco Pie there,” said an official from Orion. 

Choco Pie, Orion’s iconic pie snack and its best-seller in China, accounted for 40 percent of total sales last year. 

Orion first started manufacturing the popular chocolate marshmallow snack in China in 1997. Choco Pie ranked No. 1 in the China Brand Power Index in 2016 and 2017, the first achievement for a Korean company.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)