Turtle Chips, the wildly popular four-layer corn chips from South Korean food giant Orion, have officially landed on South African shelves.
This marks the brand’s debut on the African continent as it expands its reach to five continents and 30 countries.
The chips quietly rolled out at select SPAR stores earlier this month, with three flavours now available at more than 300 of the retailer’s premium outlets nationwide.
The deal follows Orion’s eye-catching appearance at the Africa Food Show in Cape Town in June, where Turtle Chips became a surprise crowd favourite and helped the company secure a supply agreement with SPAR.
Surge in popularity for Korean culture
Orion says South Africa presents a prime opportunity to enter Africa, as the country accounts for roughly 15% of the continent’s total GDP.
With more than 60% of South Africans aged 34 or younger, the country offers a prime consumer market – one that Orion says is increasingly hungry for Korean culture, from K-pop to K-food.
The surge in interest has been so strong that Orion is already negotiating with three more local distributors to widen its footprint.
“Turtle Chips, beyond Asia, have now reached North America, Europe, Oceania and now Africa,” said an Orion official.
“South Africa will be an important cornerstone for building a ‘K-snack road’ that spans the globe.”
Major fried chicken chain from Korea to open its first stores in South Africa
The arrival of Turtle Chips adds to a broader Korean wave sweeping South Africa’s food scene.
Just weeks ago, a major Korean fried chicken chain signed a deal to enter the local market, sparking excitement among fans of ‘K-chicken.’
The Korean chain (branded bb.q CHICKEN) initially plans to open quick service restaurant (QSR)-type stores in major cities such as Cape Town, Johannesburg and Bloemfontein, with more cities to follow as the brand expands across the continent.
“South Africa is our strategic cornerstone for expanding into the African market and promoting K-food globally,” Genesis BBQ Chairman Yoon Hong-geun said.
Read more on that story here.
