Frozen Chicken Under 10,000 Won Booms in Popularity as Delivery Chicken Nears 30,000 Won

Franchise Chicken Approaches 30,000 Won
Frozen Chicken (300g) Priced Around 10,000 Won
Technology Advances in Frying Methods
Expanding Product Lineup

As franchise chicken prices approach 30,000 won including delivery fees, demand for cost-effective frozen chicken has increased. In response, food companies have successively launched frozen products that replicate the taste and crispy texture of franchise chicken.

According to the food industry on September 12, CJ CheilJedang separated its 'Sobaba' frozen chicken brand from its convenience food brand, Gourmet, in June 2024 after initially launching it in 2023. The 'Sobaba' brand has since been expanded to include both boneless and bone-in chicken as well as seasoned products, surpassing a cumulative 30 million packs sold by July 2024. The company has released a variety of products, including Sobaba Red Hot Boneless, Sichuan-style Mala Chicken, Dakgangjeong (sweet crispy chicken), and Crispy Chicken Tenders. More recently, it introduced portioned chicken products at CU convenience stores. As of now, the Golden Holic (fried chicken) is priced at 6,980 won for 210g, 7,980 won for 240g, and 10,980 won for 375g.

Ottogi launched its 'Ozkitchen' series in 2021, expanding to seven product categories including Crispy, Hot Crispy, Seasoned, and Garlic Soy Sauce. The company has sold about 10 million packs as of last month, with 350g packs of fried chicken retailing at 10,980 won. Harim introduced 'Mexican' in May last year, reinterpreting the seasoned chicken recipe from its 40-year-old franchise brand, Mexican Chicken. The product line has expanded to eight types, including Crispy, Hot Crispy, Honey Butter, and Garlic Seasoned. Within a year of launch, cumulative sales exceeded five million packs, establishing a solid presence in the market. The Crispy Chicken variant is priced at 9,800 won for a 350g pack.

Daesang Cheongjungwon has put its 'Sunsal Basak Chicken' (boneless crispy chicken) at the forefront. Starting in 2024 with Honey Soy Chicken made with Cheongjungwon brewed soy sauce and honey, the product line has grown to four varieties, including Butter Garlic, Real Red, and Jamaican Style. Cumulative sales have surpassed two million packs. All four varieties sell in 300g packs for 7,980 won.

Dongwon F&B, a subsidiary of Dongwon Industries, entered the frozen chicken market last month by switching from original equipment manufacturing (OEM) to in-house production, launching two 'K-Basak' products (fried chicken and chili mayo chicken) that maximize crispiness. K-Basak utilizes the 'air crisp' technique, which injects fine air bubbles into the batter for extra crunch. Within just over a month of launch, both products reached a combined production of over 250,000 packs. K-Basak is priced at 7,980 won for 250g and 10,980 won for 350g.

Lotte Wellfood entered the frozen chicken market in early September, introducing four 'Schiffood Chicken' varieties, including 'Kkwasasak Crispy Chicken.' Using 100% chicken thigh meat, the pieces are fried twice and then quickly frozen. Lotte Wellfood plans to continuously expand its frozen chicken range. All four varieties are sold in 330g packs at a price of 9,980 won.

Promotional image of CJ CheilJedang's frozen chicken 'Sovaba Chicken Masso Kick Boneless'. CJ CheilJedang

Food companies are jumping into the frozen chicken market because of its sharp growth. According to market research firm Euromonitor, the domestic frozen chicken market grew from about 140 billion won in 2022 to approximately 160 billion won last year.

Whereas frozen chicken products used to be on par with chicken nuggets, they now replicate the taste of franchise chicken, solidifying demand among consumers coping with high inflation. Improvements in frying methods and sauce application technology have narrowed the quality gap between frozen and restaurant chicken, according to industry observers.

Another factor driving demand is the increasing popularity of air fryers, which have enabled consumers to enjoy crispy frozen chicken more conveniently at home. While cooking frozen chicken in a microwave dries it out and reduces crispiness, air fryers help maximize that crunchy texture.

An industry official stated, "With frozen chicken, you can enjoy the fresh-fried crispiness of restaurant chicken at home, so we expect the frozen chicken market to continue growing. As dining-out prices increase, demand for convenient frozen chicken that can be easily prepared at home is likely to rise."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.