"At first, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to eat it because it was too spicy. But the 'Hotter than my ex' Buldak campaign was fun, so I gave it a try. Once I tasted it, it became a flavor that kept coming back to me."
On the afternoon of the 19th of last month (local time), Kelly (23), a college student at Target, a discount store in Buena Park, Los Angeles, picked up "Carbo Buldak" and recalled her first encounter with Buldak Bokkeum Myeon this way. The global campaign "Hotter than my EX" was the catalyst. The campaign, which connected the moment of regaining self-esteem after a breakup to the intense spiciness of Buldak, sparked curiosity. The fun message delivered by the campaign outweighed her fear of spicy food, and the Buldak she tasted that way became a dish that continued to linger in her mind.
After paying attention to situations where people seek spiciness, Samyang Foods has focused on connecting the spiciness of Buldak with everyday emotions. The idea is to relieve stress with spicy food and feel a sense of liberation through the taste of Buldak in moments of fatigue. It also aims to make people think of Buldak in specific situations, such as when they get hungry while playing games. This direction is reflected in global campaigns like "Burn into the moment" and "Hotter than my EX," as well as the recently released song "Crave the burn."
Shin Yong-sik, head of Samyang America, explained, "Everyone has different moments when they feel tired or stressed. We market Buldak so that people can relieve stress with its intense flavor and have an experience of escaping from their daily routine during those times."
The strategy of not limiting Buldak to ramen also leads to the expansion of localized products. This involves using Buldak sauce in cooking or encouraging consumers to experience Buldak through snacks and convenience foods. For example, they create Mac and Cheese, a dish popular among Americans, with a Buldak flavor, or use Buldak sauce in potato chips, dumplings, Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and fried rice. Buldak Tteokbokki has secured a leading position in the snack category locally. He stated, "The number of products that combine Buldak with various foods, rather than consuming it only as ramen, needs to increase for more consumers to encounter the brand. This expansion of experiences will lead to an increase in market share."
Samyang Foods is also cultivating successors to Buldak. The convenience pasta brand "Tangle" was launched in the U.S. last year and has rapidly expanded its distribution channels. Its differentiation points are that it can be prepared without separately preparing noodles and sauce, and that it is a convenient food rich in protein and nutrition. By securing distribution channels such as Walmart and Target, it continues to maintain triple-digit growth rates compared to the previous year.
The company is also intensifying its offensive on the soup ramen market with "Spicy" and "Samyang 1963." In particular, Samyang 1963 highlights beef tallow and the historical significance of Samyang Foods as differentiating factors. The brand story of being the first company to introduce ramen in Korea will be emphasized alongside the product characteristic of using beef tallow. Starting early next year, it plans to expand its reach by entering major distribution companies. The jjajangmyeon (noodles with black bean sauce) "Jjarreul," recently launched domestically, is also being pushed for entry into the U.S. market next year.
Growth in the U.S. market also serves as a stepping stone for expansion across the entire Americas. Recently, Samyang America established a subsidiary in Brazil and will launch separate entities in Canada by the end of this year and in Mexico in the first quarter of next year. While Samyang America manages the whole operation, separate organizations are being built in countries where local market understanding and sales capabilities are required.
Samyang America, established in August 2021, started with an annual revenue of 63 billion won in 2022, rising to 159.6 billion won in 2023, 378.6 billion won in 2024, and 595.2 billion won last year, setting new records every year. The ultimate goal in the U.S. is to surpass Japanese companies, the home country of ramen. Head Shin stated, "We will raise the awareness of Samyang Foods and Buldak like global brands such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi. Our goal is to reach No. 2 in the U.S. ramen market within five years and No. 1 within ten years."
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