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On April 9, industry sources said Lotte Wellfood launched a new monaka-style item called Dwaeji Bar Bread and kicked off full-scale sales. It’s sold on the brand’s official online store, Sweet Mall, at 1,400 KRW for a 160 mL serving (about 5.4 fl oz, ≈ $1.05). The product turns the original bar into a sandwich-style dessert: monaka wafers are filled with the Dwaeji Bar’s signature cookie pieces, chocolate and strawberry syrup, paired with ice cream.
This release is part of Lotte Wellfood’s broader “Dwaeji Bar Universe” expansion. The company has already rolled out Dwaeji Bar Yogurt, a low-sugar Dwaeji Bar to match health trends, and a spring-limited Flower Dwaeji Bar, helping the brand sustain roughly 30 billion KRW (≈ $22.5 million) in annual sales.
Overseas traction is mounting too. Last year in India — a strategic emerging market — Lotte Wellfood adapted the Dwaeji Bar into three Crunch Bar variants (Yogurt Berry, Choco Berry, Choco Vanilla) and positioned them as premium offerings, about two to three times the price of standard ice cream. Nearly 1 million units sold within three months, generating about 1 billion KRW (≈ $750,000) in revenue. Analysts say the K-food boom helped local consumers view the line as premium Korean ice cream, which boosted demand.
That overseas momentum fits Lotte Wellfood’s mid-to-long-term plan: the company aims to raise overseas sales to 35% by 2028. To support that goal, it will add 16 production lines at a new ice-cream plant in Pune, India, to stabilize peak-season supply and target southern regional markets. Domestically, it’s expanding its ice-cream facility in Cheonan. Recent delays in line expansion and rationalization pushed the investment completion to April 2027. The total investment is 222 billion KRW (≈ $166.5 million), about 10.5% of its equity capital (2.1115 trillion KRW, ≈ $1.58 billion).
Industry observers see the strategy as a response to demographic shifts like low birthrates and an aging population. With a shrinking consumer base, the company is leveraging an established brand to explore new formats and simultaneously pursue domestic and international growth.
“Blending the trust that comes with a long-standing brand with trendy updates is proving effective at home and abroad,” a food industry source said. Once production-line expansions finish next year, the company is likely to accelerate its global market share gains.
