Choco pie

Variations of the original go back to as far as 1917 in the southern United States. In 1929, Chattanooga Bakery created the Moon Pie with marshmallow filling and Graham crackers for local miners in Chattanooga, Tennessee.{{cite book |author1=Dale Volberg Reed |author2=John Shelton Reed |author3=John T. Edge |title=Cornbread Nation 4: The Best of Southern Food Writing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wO3Ly6NUpT4C&pg=PA153 |year=2008 |publisher=University of Georgia Press |isbn=978-0-8203-3089-1 |pages=153–}}

In 1961, a Japanese confectionery company Morinaga & Company started selling {{Nihongo|Angel Pie|エンゼルパイ|Enzeru Pai}} which was developed with reference to Scooter Pie, a version of Moon Pie.{{cite web |url=https://www.morinaga.co.jp/biscuit/history/story/ex_angel.php |title=エンジェルパイ歴史 (in Japanese) |work=Morinaga & Company website |access-date=19 April 2022}}

In 1973, a member of the R&D team of the Korean firm Tongyang Confectionery visited a hotel in Georgia, US, and was inspired by the chocolate-coated sweets available in the hotel's restaurant. He returned to South Korea and began experimenting with a chocolate biscuit cake, creating the "choco pie" as it is known to South Koreans.{{cite web |script-title=ko:오리온 초코파이 |url=http://article.joins.com/news/article/article.asp?Total_ID=3552767 |publisher=The Financial News |access-date=5 May 2011 |author=남형도 |date=31 March 2009 |language=ko |archive-date=8 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808033054/http://article.joins.com/news/article/article.asp?Total_ID=3552767 |url-status=dead }} The name "Choco Pie"(초코 파이) became popular when Tongyang first released the Orion Choco Pie, and was well received by South Korean children, as well as the elderly, because of its affordable price and white marshmallow filling. Tongyang Confectionery later renamed the company Orion Confectionery thanks to the success of the Orion Choco Pie brand.

In 1979, Lotte Confectionery began to sell a similar confection. When Lotte Confectionery put the Lotte Choco Pie on the market, it chose to spell the prefix slightly differently in Hangul from how Tongyang was spelling it. Tongyang had been using "{{lang|ko|쵸}}" ("Chyo"), while Lotte began using "{{lang|ko|초}}" ("Cho"). Haitai and Crown Confectionery also began selling their own versions of choco pies. Lotte also began selling as Choco Pie in Japan in 1983.

In 1999, after many years of sales of different "Choco Pie" products, Tongyang (Orion) filed a lawsuit against Lotte for their use of the term "Choco Pie", claiming that the name was their intellectual property. The court ruled, however, that Tongyang was responsible for having allowed its brand name to become, over time, a generic trademark and that the term "choco pie" was to be considered a common noun due to its generic descriptive sense in reference to confections of similar composition.{{cite news |publisher=The Chosun Ilbo |url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/1999/08/05/1999080561428.html |date=5 August 1999 |access-date=4 September 2012 |title='Choco Pie' is a 'Common Noun'}}

In 2016, Orion released a banana-flavored Choco Pie to celebrate its 60th anniversary. It is the first variation of the original product in 42 years since the company launched the Choco Pie with marshmallow cream in 1974.{{cite web |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2016/03/123_199783.html |title=Chocolate pie with banana taste hits market |publisher=The Korea Times |author=Bahk Eun-ji |date=7 March 2016 |access-date=6 October 2016}}

In 2017, Orion launched its premium choco pie brand "Choco Pie House".{{cite web |url=http://www.koreadailyus.com/choco-pie-now-available-various-flavors-including-red-velvet/ |title=Choco Pie Now Available in Various Flavors Including Red Velvet |publisher=The Korea Daily |website=www.koreadailyus.com|date=22 December 2017 }}

In 2020, Orion released Chal (meaning "chewy" in Korean) Choco Pie to celebrate Choco Pie's 45th anniversary. Chal Choco Pie has two flavors of injeolmi and black sesame rice cake.{{Cite web |title=인절미 식감 '찰초코파이' 누적판매 1000만개 돌파 {{!}} Inseolmi mouthfeel 'Chal Choco Pie' Accumulated number sold passed 10 million |url=http://www.munhwa.com/news/view.html?no=2020013001032521086002 |last=유 |first=현진 |date=2020-01-30 |website=Munhwa Ilbo Moonhwa-ilbo |access-date=2020-04-30}} Due to the product line's launch, overall Choco Pie sales in January and February increased by about 20% compared to the same period last year.{{Cite news|last=San|first=Mi-jin(산미진)|date=2020-03-05|title=전통맛 살리니 인기…오리온 '찰 초코파이' 1500만개 팔려|trans-title=Popular because of the traditional taste… Orion's 'Chal Choco Pie' sold 15 million|work=Ma-eil Kyeong-je|url=https://www.mk.co.kr/news/business/view/2020/03/233247/}}

Orion has launched springs seasonal-limited edition of Choco Pie ever since the year of 2017. In 2017, Orion launched Choco Pie Strawberry, which has strawberry jam inside the marshmallow.{{Cite web |title=오리온 '초코파이 딸기', 한달만에 1천만개 판매 돌파; Orion 'Choco Pie Strawberry', 10 million sold within a month |url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20170525073900030 |last=강 |first=종훈 |date=2017-05-25 |website=연합뉴스 Yeonhap News |language=ko |access-date=2020-04-30}} In 2019, Orion launched a new edition with pistachio and berry flavor. In 2020, it launched Choco Pie Strawberry Blossom. It is covered in pink chocolate instead of the usual dark brown. Over 5 million pies were sold in the first Three weeks after launching.{{Cite web |title=오리온, '초코파이情 딸기블라썸' 누적 판매량 500만개 돌파 {{!}} Orion, 'Choco Pie 情 Strawberry Blossom' Accumulated number of sold passed 5 million |url=http://www.nextdaily.co.kr/news/article.html?id=20200402800005 |last=hyeuwon Seo |first=서희원 |date=2020-04-02 |website=넥스트데일리 NextDaily |access-date=2020-04-29}}

In January 2021, Orion launched its first winter limited edition, 'Choco Pie Chung Happy Berry Chocolate', 46 years after its establishment. The product is a reinterpretation of the chocolate pie as a holiday cake concept for the end of the year and consists of a chocolate cake filled with chocolate berry syrup and marshmallow.{{Cite news|last=Min|first=Byung-Kyun(민병권)|date=2021-01-07|title=마음 따뜻한 '초코파이 情', 한정판 '초코파이情 해피베리쇼콜라' 출시|trans-title=Launched a heartwarming “Choco Pie 情” and a limited edition “Choco Pie 情 Happy Berry Chocolate”|work=Korean Dutyfree News|url=http://www.kdfnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=65219}}

File:Choco Pie Amaou.JPG

Choco Pie entered the Russian market in the Far East region after the fall of Soviet Union in the beginning of the 1990s and quickly became popular among Russian population, kids and adults alike. Starting in the 2000s, Orion began using the Choco Pie to gain a foothold in foreign markets, and now controls a two-thirds share of the Chinese snack market, with a third of Orion's revenue coming from outside Korea in 2006.{{cite web|last=Kelly|first=Tim|title=Cookie Monster|url=http://members.forbes.com/global/2006/0227/026A.html|work=Forbes|access-date=17 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711020145/http://members.forbes.com/global/2006/0227/026A.html|archive-date=11 July 2011|date=27 February 2006}} Around 12.1 billion Choco Pies have been sold all over the world.{{cite web|url=http://www.chocopie.co.kr |title=(Korean) |publisher=Orion Confectionery|language=ko|access-date=30 December 2009}}

Orion has a share in five major markets – South Korea, Russia, Vietnam, China and Canada. In 2016 Choco Pie sold 600 million packs in Russia.{{Cite news|last=김 |first=영주|date=2017-12-07|title=오리온 "러시아서 초코파이 한해 10억 개로 확대 생산" {{!}} Orion "The number of Choco pie production in Russia expand to 1 billion"|language=ko-KR|work=JoongAng Ilbo Joongang-ilbo|url=http://news.joins.com/article/22185118|access-date=2018-04-07}} Vietnam also consumed 600 million packs in 2018.{{Cite web|url=http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20190418000685|title=Orion's Choco pie sales in Vietnam surpass Korea for the first time|date=18 April 2019}} The snack has also been particularly successful in India, Pakistan and Taiwan.

In the early 2010s, exports of choco pies to North Korea were reportedly very popular, with North Korean workers at the Kaeseong Industrial Complex in North Korea receiving choco pies in lieu of cash bonuses, which were seen as too capitalistic.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/01/choco-pies-north-koreans|title=Choco Pies offer North Koreans a taste of the other side|first=Tania|last=Branigan|date=1 May 2013|website=the Guardian}}{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/north-korea-bans-popular-choco-pie-snack-from-south-korea-to-avoid-ideological-unrest-reports|title=North Korea bans popular Choco Pie snack from South Korea to 'avoid ideological unrest': reports|newspaper=National Post|date=4 July 2014|last1=Donnelly|first1=Aileen}} Prior to the closing of the complex during the 2013 Korean crisis, workers received choco pies, which had become a favorite snack at Kaeseong (개성시) and also a symbol of capitalism,{{cite news|author=Donald Kirk |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/KE21Dg01.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522045623/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/KE21Dg01.html |url-status=unfit |archive-date=22 May 2009 |title=Pyongyang chokes on sweet capitalism |publisher=Asia Times Online |date=21 May 2009 |access-date=30 December 2009}} in addition to their wages.{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/01/north-korea-has-reportedly-banned-choco-pies/|title=North Korea has reportedly banned Choco Pies|first=Terrence|last=McCoy|date=1 July 2014|via=www.washingtonpost.com}} However, the workers at Kaeseong (개성시) would often resell their pies on the black market. In 2010, The Chosun Ilbo reported that choco pies could fetch as much as US$9.50 on the North Korean black market.{{cite news |publisher=The Chosun Ilbo |url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/01/12/2010011200624.html| title=Choco Pie Rules Black Market in N.Korea |date=12 January 2010 |access-date=15 January 2010}} Between 2008 and 2014, the Lotte corporation estimated that it sent 1.2 million boxes of Choco Pie to North Korea.{{cite web|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20180530000701|title=Food groups pin hopes on improvement in inter-Korean ties|date=30 May 2018}}

In the wake of tensions surrounding its nuclear tests, the North Korean government temporarily shut down the Kaeseong (개성시) complex in 2013.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-satellite-kaesong-idUSKCN0VJ0N7|title=South Korea suspends operations at joint factory park with North|first=Ju-min|last=Park|website=Reuters|date=10 February 2016}} This cut the supply of choco pies and drove the price in North Korea even higher.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk01500&num=10990|title=NK Choco Pie Price Falls on KIC News|website=Daily NK|language=ko|access-date=2018-04-09}} When the complex resumed operations after a five-month halt, employers were forbidden from paying choco pie bonuses, and advised to instead give bonuses of "sausages, noodles, coffee and chocolate".{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/north-korea-bans-workers-from-receiving-choco-pies-as-black-market-trade-flourishes-9576923.html|title=North Korea bans workers from receiving 'Choco Pies' as black market|website=Independent.co.uk|date=July 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/the-choco-pie-dividend-south-korean-firms-are-drooling-at-the-prospect-of-business-in-the-north/2018/06/17/3a6e7cc8-6f8b-11e8-bf86-a2351b5ece99_story.html|title=The Choco Pie dividend: South Korean firms are drooling at the prospect of business in the North|first1=Brian|last1=Murphy|first2=Michelle Ye Hee|last2=Lee|date=17 June 2018|via=www.washingtonpost.com}} North Korea also responded to the choco pie speculation by producing its own variant of the snack.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/11666825/North-Korea-launches-Choco-Pie-counter-strike.html|title=North Korea launches Choco Pie counter-strike|first=Julian|last=Ryall|date=11 June 2015|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}

In 2014, South Korean activists used helium balloons to launch 10,000 choco pies over the border to North Korea.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/30/south-korean-activists-choco-pie-balloons|title=South Korean activists launch 'Choco Pie' balloons|agency=Agence France-Presse|date=30 July 2014|website=the Guardian}}{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/07/31/south-korea-choco-pies-north-korea/13414039/|title=Choco Pie-filled balloons launched at North Korea|website=USA Today}} Artist Jin Joo Chae made the controversy a subject of her prints and sculptures the same year, printing, with chocolate, real and imagined Choco Pie slogans onto North Korean newspapers and simulating a black market for the snack in the gallery.Erdos, Elleree. "Jin Joo Chae: The Choco Pie-ization of North Korea," Art in Print, Vol. 4 No. 1 (May–June 2014).

• Ding Dong

{{Reflist}}

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110711020145/http://members.forbes.com/global/2006/0227/026A.html Forbes article on the Choco Pie and Orion's growth]

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Category:Bakers' confectionery

Category:Chocolate desserts

Category:American snack foods

Category:Chocolate-covered foods