Biyotte, Seoul Milk’s yogurt with toppings, is gaining popularity overseas especially in Japan with its unique concept.
Launched in 2004, Biyotte challenged the sterotype that cereal should be eaten with milk alone and has maintained popularity for over 20 years.
According to Seoul Milk, Biyotte has sold over 770 million units since its launch, as of last month. Despite competition from brands like Dongwon F&B and Pulmuone, Biyotte still holds a market share of over 70%. Its annual sales are approximately 50 billion won ($36.7 million).
Biyotte was created as a result of Seoul Milk’s experimentation with fermented milk products, in addition to raw milk, to boost sales. In 2000, the company released ‘Jjayo Jjayo’, a squeezable yogurt, as a precursor to Biyotte. After extensive global research and development for over a year, Biyotte was launched in 2004.
Designed to be eaten with plain yoghurt and cereal, a beyotte allows customers to mix the yoghurt and toppings at the same time by folding the part of the container that contains the toppings so that the toppings are mixed into the container with the yoghurt. The product gained massive popularity right after its launch, thanks to a commercial featuring actress Jeon Ji-hyun, which showcased the unique concept of eating yogurt with cereal.
Biyotte has revolutionized the concept of yogurt into a convenient meal replacement, rather than just a simple snack. It comes in five different varieties, including chocolate rings, crunch balls, chocolate pops, cookies and cream, and mixed chocolate topping. Each serving of Biyotte contains a maximum of 200 calories, making it a popular choice for people who are on a diet.
Interestingly, Biyotte is often listed as a must-try food for foreign tourists who visit S. Korea. It is especially popular among Japanese tourists, as topping yogurt products are not commonly found in nearby Asian countries like Japan, even though they are available in bigger dairy markets such as Europe and North America.
According to a sales ranking by Qoo10 Japan, an e-commerce site operated by eBay Japan, Biyotte-related products secured the 1st, 3rd, and 5th positions in Jan. 2024.
An eBay Japan official stated that K-desserts such as traditional Korean cookies and banana milk, along with Biyotte, have become ‘must-buy essential Korean items’ among Japanese tourists, leading to increased demand in Japan.
