Health, happiness and convenience derived from nature. That’s the potent promise of South Korean food brand O’Tree Food Village, that’s winning plenty of fans with its premium snack nut products.
The O’Tree range has grown steadily since its debut in 2012, with both mixed and single variety nut products included in its line-up. Beautifully packaged with an array of unique flavours on offer, the brand caters to consumer demand for premium quality, exciting flavour choices, and healthy convenience.
Macadamias the star of latest O’Tree product launch
While macadamias have always featured in O’Tree’s mixed nut offerings, the company envisaged a bigger role for the popular nut. So when an opportunity arose to develop a new product in conjunction with GS Home Shopping, Korea’s leading home shopping network, macadamias were quickly identified as the perfect fit.
As Dae-Hyun Han, Managing Director of O’Tree Food Village explains, “We are always seeking new directions for our nut products. With the GS Home Shopping collaboration, we wanted to create something new, special and premium for consumers, and really differentiate ourselves from other nut products on the market. We’re excited to be launching our new Macadamia Holic range of seasoned macadamias through GS Home Shopping this month.”
Mr Han says extensive taste tests were conducted in order to find flavours that are as delicious as they are innovative.
Macadamia Holic will launch with two flavour variants – Truffle and Maple, as well as a classic unflavoured macadamia variant. “We decided on truffle because it is one of the world’s great delicacies, and Canadian maple syrup because it offers a healthy sweet taste,” said Mr Han. “O’Tree wants to be innovative and different from other nut brands. Although our Macadamia Holic products will have a higher price point, we are confident consumers are going to love them.”
Mr Han says macadamias enjoy a premium image in South Korea. “They are not consumed as often as walnuts and almonds, but Korean consumers know that macadamias are the most premium nut, and the ones that are served in First Class on airlines. They are continuously loved by Korean consumers as the rare and special nut,” he says.
Australia as preferred origin
Mr Han believes a food’s origin plays a significant role in the quality of its flavour. “We tasted macadamias from several different origins before deciding where to import from,” says Mr Han.
“Hawaiian macadamia nuts are relatively well known to Korean consumers, but after tasting Australian grown macadamias, we were sure that Korean consumers would like their flavour the best. That’s why we decided to import from Australia.”
Staying on trend in Korea
When it comes to what Korean consumers are now looking for in food products, Mr Han says it’s value and health. “Korean consumers look for healthy food and are willing to pay more for it than cheap, lower quality food,” he explains. “The number of organic food stores in Korea is increasing in line with this trend.”
South Korea is experiencing a rise in the number of one and two-person households, and this is also shaping what consumers want. “Smaller pack sizes and prepared food are becoming more popular as a result of this,” says Mr Han.
Export and future innovation
It’s not only Korean consumers who will experience the new O’Tree macadamia products, with plans in place to export to China and Malaysia as well. “We will launch our products in China in cooperation with GS Home Shopping, and we are confident they will compete very well in the nut category supported by our quality and taste. We plan to continuously grow our exports,” says Hr Han.
According to Mr Han, the company is also considering further macadamia innovation. “We are reviewing more products with macadamia nuts and mixed seasoning,” he reveals. “We want to continue to introduce more special and quality products that consumers will love.”
Images via O’Tree Food Village
