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Orion Has Adopted Hangul Packaging for Global Markets

The snack manufacturer is integrating Korean characters onto product labels to capitalize on international cultural trends.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Marketing

Isometric editorial illustration of a single unbranded, matte-finish snack pouch, representing the global standardization of food packaging design.
Orion has begun incorporating Korean characters onto its snack packaging globally to leverage the rising international popularity of Korean culture and enhance its brand identity across diverse markets. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Orion has begun featuring Hangul on snack packaging across its international markets, including China, Vietnam, Russia, India, and the United States. This strategy leans into the rising global interest in Korean culture by highlighting native script on its products.

Why it matters

By placing Korean characters on snack labels, the company aims to leverage the global popularity of Korean culture to strengthen brand identity. This marketing shift allows Orion to differentiate its offerings in diverse foreign markets through culturally resonant packaging.

Pocachip currently maintains the leading market share for fresh potato snacks in Vietnam. The company is now applying Hangul labels, including specific expressions like jjikmeok and daebak, to its products distributed in international regions.

The players

Orion

Orion is a major South Korean confectionery company that produces and distributes snack foods to international markets.

The details

Orion has moved to replace or augment local flavor labels with Hangul script, as seen on the snack Ttayo in Vietnam and Bungo in the United States. In Vietnam, the company also rebranded its Mashita snack line to Kobukchip to align with its global product naming conventions.

Timeline

  1. Orion renamed the snack product Mashita to Kobukchip in Vietnam in August 2026.

  2. The company formally announced this Hangul-focused marketing strategy on September 29, 2026.

Market Landscape

This move reflects a broader industry shift where consumer brands actively integrate cultural identity into their packaging to appeal to global demographics. The strategy positions Orion to compete by capitalizing on the Hallyu wave of Korean cultural exports currently impacting global consumer sectors.

Consumers in international markets will begin to see Korean script on snack packaging, representing a change in how Orion communicates flavor and branding information. This may alter the purchasing experience for shoppers who are accustomed to entirely localized language labels.

The takeaway

Companies are increasingly using cultural identity as a primary branding tool to connect with international audiences. Customers can expect to see more global brands highlight their cultural heritage on packaging as a means of differentiation in competitive retail environments.

Further reading

Learn more about the strategies driving global brand recognition in the Marketing section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by 경향신문.

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Should companies use original home-country product names on packaging sold in international markets?