Choco Pie
Encyclopedia
Choco Pie is a South Korean snack food
manufactured by Orion Confectionery
which consists of two small round layers of cake with marshmallow filling, with chocolate covering, similar to a Moon Pie
. Orion supplies the South Korean military with Choco Pies, which are given out to soldier
s after their first week of basic training.
Orion seeks a share in four major markets - South Korea
, Russia
, Vietnam
and China
. The snack has also been particularly successful in India
, Vietnam and Taiwan
. Additionally, it has become a favorite snack of North Korean workers at the Kaesong Industrial Complex and has come to symbolize capitalism
. South Korean news reports that Choco Pies can fetch as much as US$9.50 on the North Korean black market.
In South Korea, Choco Pie is associated with Jeong (情), which indicates closeness among people in Korea. Its advertisements emphasise the relationship between family members and friends, and its jingle
is widely known.
Snack food
A snack is a portion of food oftentimes smaller than that of a regular meal, that is generally eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including packaged and processed foods and items made from fresh ingredients at home....
manufactured by Orion Confectionery
Orion Confectionery
Orion Confectionery Co, Ltd. is a confectionery company, headquartered in Munbae-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea. The company which is one of the three biggest food companies in Korea was established in 1956 and Orion has manufacturing facilities in Seoul, Iksan Jeollanam-do and cities in China,...
which consists of two small round layers of cake with marshmallow filling, with chocolate covering, similar to a Moon Pie
Moon pie
A moon pie or MoonPie is a pastry which consists of two round graham cracker cookies, with marshmallow filling in the center, dipped in chocolate or other flavors. The traditional pie is about three inches in diameter...
. Orion supplies the South Korean military with Choco Pies, which are given out to soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s after their first week of basic training.
Export
In recent years Orion has used the Choco Pie to gain a foothold in foreign markets, and Orion now controls a two-thirds share of the Chinese snack market, with a third of Orion's revenue now coming from outside Korea. Around 12.1 billion Choco Pies have been sold all over the world.Orion seeks a share in four major markets - South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The snack has also been particularly successful in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Vietnam and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. Additionally, it has become a favorite snack of North Korean workers at the Kaesong Industrial Complex and has come to symbolize capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
. South Korean news reports that Choco Pies can fetch as much as US$9.50 on the North Korean black market.
In South Korea, Choco Pie is associated with Jeong (情), which indicates closeness among people in Korea. Its advertisements emphasise the relationship between family members and friends, and its jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
is widely known.