Pokemon Bread craze in South Korea results in staggering 10 million rolls sold in less than two months

The Pokemon Bread is the latest craze that is sweeping South Korea, and it seems that its popularity is not slowing down any time soon. SPC Samlip, the Korean food company that manufactured the viral baked product, revealed on Wednesday, April 6, that it is close to reaching 10 million in the number of bread rolls sold in less than two months.

According to The Korea Herald, as of Tuesday this week, the confectionery company has already sold 9.5 rolls and is predicted to surpass the 10 million mark in no time since the Pokemon Breads always get sold out the moment they are delivered to store retailers around South Korea.

The Pokemon Bread was released in February and became an instant hit, but it actually first debuted in 1999. It just made its comeback this year, and it was amazing that it has not lost its power to attract both young and adult buyers.

SPC Samlip announced last month that it sold more than 1.5 million Pokémon Bread in just a week after its launch on Feb. 24. The number is said to be more than six times the average sales volume of the company’s new bakery products over the same period.

The explosive demand for the nostalgia-provoking bread has forced retail stores to limit the number of Pokemon Breads that each customer can buy. Many are hoarding because the products also contain Pokemon character stickers that can be collected. People want to complete their collection, which consists of 159 stickers; thus, they are buying more.

Since the stickers are now hugely popular, some individuals are selling them online for ₩1,500 up to ₩50,000 ($1.20-$41). With the success of its Pokemon Bread, SPC Samlip is now planning to launch other Pokemon-themed baked goods such as cupcakes, butter sandwiches, and more.

UPI News Korea reported that while the company is planning to release more similar products, it is currently struggling to meet the demand for the Pokemon Bread that it is even receiving complaints already. SPC Samlip is now trying to up its production to supply more packs of the character bread that cost $1.20 in convenience stores in South Korea.