South Korea’s Lotte Wellfood Co. said on Monday it partnered with the US YouTuber Topper Guild to promote Pepero Day.
Pepero Day, celebrated annually on November 11 in South Korea, involves the exchange of a thin chocolate-covered stick cookie among friends and loved ones.
The snack, produced by Lotte Wellfood, has seen growing popularity in overseas markets, with global sales reaching 200 billion won ($150 million) last year.
Topper Guild, known for his quirky content, boasts 42.4 million subscribers on YouTube.
Lotte Wellfood also plans to collaborate with other global influencers to strengthen social media promotions.
During a strategy meeting in Warsaw, Poland, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin urged the development of mega-brands with annual sales exceeding 1 trillion won ($752 million).
The company aims to achieve 1 trillion won in Pepero sales by 2035, positioning it as a top 10 global brand and the leading snack brand in Asia.
In the first half of this year, the overseas sales of Pepero reached 32.5 billion won, surpassing domestic sales for the first time.
By Hyung-Joo Oh
ohj@hankyung.com
