Ildong Huddies posts 35% rise in infant formula sales in H1 on birth rate rebound

Ildong Huddies said Wednesday that its infant formula sales rose about 35 percent in the first half of this year compared with the same period last year.

Premium products led the category's growth. Huddies Sanyangyuasik, a premium goat-milk infant formula, posted a roughly 30 percent sales increase in the first half of this year from a year earlier. TruMom, a premium cow-milk formula, saw sales climb about 42 percent over the same period. The infant food brand Iyam recorded a roughly 10 percent gain.

The company attributed the growth in part to a rebound in domestic births. According to Statistics Korea, the number of newborns rose for two consecutive years — from 230,028 in 2023 to 238,317 in 2024 and 254,457 last year. A broader parenting trend in which consumers prioritize ingredients and quality over price also fueled rapid expansion of the premium formula market.

"As the premium parenting trend focused on ingredients and quality continues to spread, we will draw on Ildong Huddies' expertise to offer products that parents can trust," a company official said.