Samyang Foods, the South Korean food giant behind Buldak Ramen, is staking an early trademark claim on this year’s hottest flavor: a sweet-and-spicy combo known as swicy.
According to industry sources Monday, Samyang filed to register “Buldak Swicy” with the Korean Intellectual Property Office last month, followed about a week later by a filing for a colored logo featuring the term. The move signals the company’s bid to capitalize on a flavor trend that has drawn growing attention from global media and consumers alike.
Samyang said the trademark is intended to help the company “proactively respond to global flavor trends,” but declined to disclose any concrete product plans related to swicy.
Samyang has applied the swicy trademark to nearly all of its existing product categories, in what is seen as a long-term bid to secure flexibility for future brand expansion rather than support a single product launch.
As of Monday, the trademark is still pending examination, meaning it has met filing requirements but has not yet been assigned to an examiner.
The swicy flavor profile is no stranger to Samyang’s flagship Buldak noodles, with the original’s bold heat and hint of sweetness carried through in variants like Buldak Carbonara and Curry.
Last year, for example, a limited-edition Buldak Curry made with coconut milk to soften the brand’s signature heat sold out quickly in China.
Samyang’s latest push for global flavor innovation is also reflected in the launch of Buffamin, a curated K-food retail store in China operated by Samyang Aani, the digital commerce arm of its holding company, Samyang Roundsquare.
Products featured on the platform for their distinctive flavors or textures include Samyang items not yet officially released in China, such as the newly launched Buldak Banana.
Buldak remains central to Samyang’s global flavor push, fueling a streak of record-breaking financial performance.
Last year, the company’s revenue jumped 45 percent to 1.73 trillion won ($1.25 billion), while operating profit more than doubled to 344.2 billion won. Overseas markets accounted for nearly 80 percent of total sales, reaching a record 1.33 trillion won.
minmin@heraldcorp.com
