CJ CheilJedang's protein brand Danbaekhani tops 1.3 million sales in first year

CJ CheilJedang announced Thursday that its protein lifestyle brand Danbaekhani has surpassed 1.3 million cumulative units sold within one year of its launch.

Danbaekhani is a brand jointly developed by CJ CheilJedang and CJ Olive Young. Launched in June last year with a protein bar, the brand has since expanded its lineup to include three protein shake varieties — signature, chocolate and matcha — and two additional protein bar flavors: peanut butter and matcha chocolate.

The brand's products stand out for their taste and texture, which draw on farro, an ancient grain. The protein bars use a puffing process — applying heat and pressure to farro to expand it like puffed rice — to achieve a nutty, crispy bite. Each protein shake pack contains 22 grams of protein and just 2 grams of sugar.

CJ CheilJedang has signed K-pop act Alpha Drive One as the brand's model and is running a pop-up store called "Seoul Snack Club" at CJ Olive Young's Central Myeong-dong Town branch throughout July. The pop-up features a tasting corner and offers Alpha Drive One merchandise to customers who spend 30,000 won ($20) or more on Danbaekhani products. Sales of Danbaekhani during the pop-up's opening week were roughly four times higher than the same period the previous month, while on-site pop-up sales rose about tenfold compared with before the event.

CJ CheilJedang continues to broaden the brand's portfolio, releasing the Danbaekhani Protein Bar Pistachio Double Chocolate earlier this month. "Consumers in their 20s and 30s who are highly interested in wellness have responded well because it lets them get their protein intake easily and deliciously," a company official said. "We will continue to introduce a variety of products that reflect consumer preferences and trends."