Exports of Pepero top 100 million packs in 2024

Packs of Pepero line the shelves of a supermarket in Seoul, Feb. 6. Yonhap

More than 100 million packs of Pepero, a chocolate-covered biscuit stick manufactured by Lotte Wellfood, were sold overseas last year amid rising global popularity for Korean confectionery, industry data showed Thursday.

Lotte Wellfood exported 70.1 billion won ($50.9 million) worth of Pepero in 2024, up 30 percent from a year ago, according to the data.

This translates to some 106.5 million packs, marking the first time the company's annual exports of the snack have surpassed the 100 million mark.

Pepero is currently available in 57 countries, including the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

To meet the rising international demand, Lotte Wellfood plans to open its first overseas production facility in India, with an investment of 33 billion won.

The plant is expected to begin operations in the second half of this year and serve as a production hub for neighboring markets.