Oreo Is Going K-Pop

Oreo is teaming up with K-pop supergroup BTS for a bit of marketing dynamite that capitalizes on consumers' growing interest in global flavors. Mondelez, Oreo's parent company, said this week that BTS-themed Oreos will go on sale June 1 online and June 8 in stores. The cookies, which feature purple wafers in a nod to the band's signature color, will be sold in more than 80 markets around the world, making the partnership the brand's biggest to date, reports the AP. The band also designed 13 embossments for the wafers, including the names of the seven members and an outline of the light stick that fans hold at BTS concerts. The white-and-tan creme center of the sandwich cookies was formulated to taste like hotteok, a warm, brown sugar-stuffed pancake that's a popular Korean street food.

"For Oreo to be the first snacking brand we've collaborated with globally is a huge honor. We ate them as kids, we eat them in the studio and now Oreo is helping us share a taste of home with the world," BTS said in a statement. BTS Oreos are limited-time stuff: Mondelez wouldn't say how many packages it's making. Martin Renaud, Mondelez' chief marketing and sales officer, said the BTS cookies strike a balance of staying true to Korean culture and food while remaining consistent with Oreo's brand and flavoring. "You want to be authentic, you want to be differentiated and live an experience. But when you are Oreo, you need to be pleasing a large group of people," Renaud said. "You cannot come up with something that will be liked only by 20% of the population because it would alienate some of our customers."

Renaud said Oreo spent around two years developing the BTS cookie, eventually narrowing the possible flavors to three before settling on hotteok. "I think Korean food is an incredible cuisine. I'm French, maybe I should not say that, but I believe it," Renaud joked. BTS Oreos arrive at a time when consumers are increasingly eager to sample new and authentic global cuisines and flavors. Datassential, a food and beverage consulting company, said US restaurants featuring global flavors—Asian and South American, specifically—have been gaining market share since 2019. In Europe, West African restaurants are growing in popularity.

Seeking out global foods or learning to make them is a low-risk and low-cost way to enjoy other cultures, said Russell Zwanka, director of food marketing at Western Michigan University. "You can experience the world without spending $2,000 on a ticket," Zwanka said. BTS is also no stranger to food collaborations. The band partnered with McDonald's in 2021 for a global meal promotion in 50 countries. BTS also worked with the Korean food companies Paldo and Hy to develop Arih, a line of noodles and drinks sold at Walmart. Renaud said playful, interesting flavors help Oreo expand its appeal beyond families. "We want to be making sure we also keep our older children and Gen Zs and keep the brand up to date," he said.