I got curious about how Korea’s chip aisle ended up the way it is, and it turns out it’s mostly a rivalry story:
1980: Nongshim goes first. In July 1980 Nongshim launched Potato Chip, Korea’s first chip made from fresh potatoes. It’s the ancestor of today’s Chip Potato.
1988: Orion answers with Poca Chip. Poca Chip overtook Nongshim in 2000. By 2014 the two had long split the market, with Orion at roughly 60% and Nongshim around 30%.
2010: Sumi Chip. Nongshim struck back with Sumi Chip, made from domestically grown Sumi potatoes.
2014: Honey Butter Chip. Haitai launched it in August 2014, working with Japan’s Calbee, seasoned with acacia honey and gourmet butter. It spread on social media so fast that stores ran out and bags were resold online at inflated prices, Haitai ran its factory around the clock, and in October and November 2014 it topped overall snack sales at GS25, CU and 7-Eleven, ahead of Poca Chip and Saeukkang. Haitai eventually built a new factory to double output.
Copycats followed. Nongshim’s Sumi Chip Honey Mustard became one of the biggest. That sweet-salty balance still shapes a lot of new launches, and most chips are still bought at convenience stores.
Right now (Oct 2026): Haitai, Lotte Mart and Gangwon Province have made a limited gamjajeon (potato pancake) flavour of Saengsaeng chips. Haitai bought 70 tonnes of Seolbong potatoes from Gangwon farms and made 180,000 bags at its Wonju plant. They went on sale on 15 October at Lotte Mart, Lotte Super and 7-Eleven. Last year’s collab was a corn flavour.
Questions for people in Korea or who’ve lived there: Poca Chip, Sumi Chip or Honey Butter, which do you actually buy? Has anyone tried the gamjajeon chip yet? Does it taste like the real thing?
submitted by /u/WorldOfChips
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