Rice cake layer is added to confectionery classic

Special edition Choco Pies

A new Choco Pie is hitting the market in celebration of the original’s 45th anniversary.

In the reimagined snack, a layer of rice cake is added.

It is the first time rice cake has been added to the marshmallow-filled mushy chocolate snack since it was first released in 1974. The addition will change both the taste and the texture of the iconic treat, Orion said in statement.

The Choco Pie will be available at large discount chains, such as Emart, from next Thursday.

The special edition comes in two versions: injeolmi, which refers to rice cake covered in bean flour, and black sesame. The black sesame version has a rice cake layer on which black sesame paste is spread.

The injeolmi version will be released first, and the black sesame version will be available from mid-December, according to Orion.

The idea for the new offering is in line with the “newtro” trend, the snack maker said. Newtro is a combination of the words new and retro and has come to mean a new product with a nostalgic feel.

While rice cakes are mostly thought of as a thing of the past, younger people, in their teens and 20s, started to be attracted to the traditional snack, according to Orion.

The company said it focused on keeping the rice cake chewy for a long time. Rice cakes usually dry up and lose the chewy texture.

In 2016, the company had released banana-flavored Choco Pie to celebrate Orion’s 60th anniversary.

BY KIM JEE-HEE [kim.jeehee@joongang.co.kr]