Orion Corp. sold 4 billion units of its signature product, Choco Pie, in South Korea and international markets last year, marking the highest annual sales in the snack’s 50-year history. Since its debut, total sales have reached 50 billion units, with 8% of that figure recorded in 2024 alone. Revenue from Choco Pie sales last year amounted to approximately 580 billion won ($369 million).
Global sales have been the key driver of Choco Pie’s growth. According to Orion on Feb. 27, the snack has generated cumulative sales of 8.17 trillion won ($5.6 billion) to date, with overseas markets accounting for 5.5 trillion won ($3.76 billion), or 67% of the total.
Choco Pie first entered the Russian market in 1993 after initially gaining traction through Russian merchants who brought the product from South Korea’s Busan Port in the early 1990s. As demand surged, Orion formally entered the market, positioning Choco Pie as an alternative to Western-style confectionery by introducing a range of flavors and adding a small toy inside the packaging. The strategy helped Orion capture 40% of Russia’s pie market. In 2008, the company established a Choco Pie factory in Novosibirsk.
In China, Orion introduced Choco Pie in 1997 under the brand name “Haoliyou,” meaning “good friend” in Chinese, and began local production. Today, the product is available in about 60 countries with 24 different varieties. To meet growing international demand, Orion operates production facilities in China, Vietnam, Russia, and India.
