Food: The Blackpink Effect: How a K-Pop Idol Transformed a Thai Snack

InsightTrendsWorld
Sep 16
8 min read

What is the Fashion Food Tomato Chips Trend? The Fashion Food tomato chips trend is the sudden global popularity of a long-standing Thai snack, driven by an unsolicited social media post from K-pop star Jisoo of BLACKPINK in 2023. The trend has transformed the product from a regional staple into a global sensation, prompting the manufacturer to expand its flavors and packaging to meet new demand.

The trend was sparked when Jisoo posted an Instagram story featuring the tomato chips, causing the snack to go instantly viral.
The chips, which have used the same recipe for decades, have become a "must-buy" souvenir for tourists visiting Thailand.
The manufacturer, Fashion Food, is capitalizing on this success by launching new flavors like Spicy Tomato, Mala, and Korean Chicken, as well as new packaging formats.

Why it is the topic trending: The Power of Unscripted Celebrity Influence This trend is gaining momentum because it is a perfect case study of how authentic, unscripted celebrity endorsement can instantly create a viral market sensation. The genuine nature of Jisoo’s post—not part of a formal collaboration—resonated with her massive fanbase and fueled a grassroots movement that a traditional marketing campaign could never replicate. The virality has become a major talking point in the food industry.

Overview: From Decades-Old Staple to Global Sensation The article provides an overview of how a decades-old Thai snack, Fashion Food tomato chips, achieved unprecedented global recognition due to an unexpected endorsement from a K-pop idol. The company, which has been in business since 1989, found itself at the center of a social media-driven phenomenon. Recognizing the opportunity, the firm's international sales manager confirmed that while the original recipe will remain unchanged, new spicy flavors and convenient cup packaging are being introduced to grow its appeal to a wider audience, including children and international consumers. The company's goal is to turn the chips into an iconic tourist souvenir, much like the Tokyo Banana in Japan.

Detailed findings: Strategic Expansion Driven by Viral Success The article provides specific details on how the company is leveraging its newfound fame.

Formula Preservation: The company has no intention of changing the formula or taste of its original tomato chips, as it believes the decades-old recipe is a key part of its appeal.
Flavor Expansion: In response to consumer demand for spicy flavors, the company has launched new varieties including Spicy Tomato, Mala, and Korean Chicken. They hope the Spicy Tomato flavor will become a new signature product.
Packaging Innovation: While the traditional bag packaging remains popular with tourists, the company has developed a cup format with a longer shelf life (up to a year) to facilitate exports to markets like the US and EU. The cups also allow for the creation of limited-edition SKUs for holidays like Christmas.
New Target Markets: The company has already seen major export success in South Korea and Singapore and is now actively looking to expand into China and the Middle East, directly leveraging the chips' viral popularity.

Key success factors of the trend: Authenticity and Adaptability The success of the Fashion Food tomato chips trend is rooted in a combination of authentic brand identity and a flexible business strategy.

Authentic Discovery: The trend originated from an unforced celebrity endorsement, which gives it a sense of genuine appeal and credibility that a paid advertisement could not.
Product Integrity: By not changing the original recipe, the company shows respect for its core product and its traditional consumer base, while still innovating around the original.
Strategic Adaptability: The company demonstrated agility by quickly developing new flavors and packaging formats to meet the demands of a new, international consumer base, particularly for on-the-go consumption and longer shelf life.
Cultural Icon Status: The brand's ambition to become a "must-buy" tourist souvenir positions the product not just as a snack, but as a cultural item, similar to Tokyo Banana.

Key Takeaway: The Unpredictable Power of Viral Marketing The article's key takeaway is that in the modern digital age, a single, organic celebrity endorsement can be more powerful than a massive marketing budget. It highlights the unpredictable, yet immense, power of viral moments and how brands, particularly established, traditional ones, can strategically capitalize on them to achieve unprecedented global reach and drive product innovation.

Main trend: Celebrity-Driven Micro-Trends with Global Impact The primary trend is the rapid globalization of niche, regional products, spurred by the organic social media endorsement of a globally recognized celebrity or influencer, leading to a significant increase in demand and strategic business expansion.

Description of the trend: From Local to Viral This trend is characterized by a "bottom-up" globalization model where a product, often with a long history and strong local appeal, suddenly gains international visibility and demand. The catalyst is a genuine, uncompensated recommendation from a major cultural figure. The trend is not driven by a formal marketing plan but by the authenticity and reach of social media, forcing brands to react and scale up to meet a new level of demand. It connects a product's local authenticity with a global, digital community.

Key Characteristics of the Core Trend: Spontaneity, Longevity, and Versatility This trend is defined by unique characteristics that distinguish it from traditional marketing.

Spontaneous Origin: The trend begins from an unplanned and authentic social media post, giving it a sense of genuine discovery and appeal.
Product Longevity: The success is built on a product with a proven, long-standing recipe, giving it a foundation of quality and tradition that resonates with new consumers.
Versatility in Application: The brand's ability to adapt its product for different markets—launching new flavors and packaging—is crucial for sustaining the viral moment and turning it into long-term growth.

Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend: The Era of Authenticity Several broader trends are creating the ideal environment for a viral moment like this to occur.

The A-list Influencer: Global celebrities, particularly from K-pop, have unprecedented social media reach and a highly dedicated, engaged fanbase that can mobilize quickly to drive consumer behavior.
The Desire for Authenticity: In a world saturated with paid sponsorships, consumers, especially Gen Z, are more responsive to authentic recommendations that they perceive as genuine.
"Travel Food" as Status: The trend of seeking out and sharing unique regional snacks from around the world is a form of cultural currency on social media, making products like the tomato chips a desirable souvenir.

What is consumer motivation: A Desire to Connect and Discover Consumers are motivated by a combination of social and personal desires.

Fandom and Connection: Fans are motivated to try the chips to feel closer to Jisoo and participate in a shared experience with their idol.
Discovery of New Experiences: Consumers are driven by a curiosity to discover a new product that is "off the beaten path" and has been validated by a celebrity.
Participation in a Viral Moment: There is a social motivation to participate in a viral trend, allowing consumers to be part of an online conversation and share their own experience with the product.

What is motivation beyond the trend: Belonging and Cultural Exploration The motivation goes deeper than just trying a new snack.

Cultural Exploration: Consumers are motivated to experience a piece of Thai culture and food history, facilitated by a recognizable figure like Jisoo.
Sense of Belonging: By trying the chips and posting about them, fans feel a sense of belonging to a global community that shares an appreciation for their idol and the product she recommended.

Descriptions of consumers: The Digitally Savvy Global Fan

Consumer Summary: This consumer is part of a global, digitally connected community, likely a fan of K-pop, who is highly influenced by their idols’ recommendations. They are proactive in seeking out and purchasing products that are part of a viral trend. They value authenticity and are motivated by the desire to participate in a shared online experience.
- Who are them: K-pop fans, social media users, young adults and teenagers, and tourists.
- What is their age?: Primarily Gen Z and young millennials (15-30), the core demographic for K-pop fandom.
- What is their income?: Varies widely; the low price point of the product makes it accessible to a wide range of incomes.
- What is their lifestyle?: Digitally native, active on social media platforms, culturally curious, and open to international products and trends.

How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior: From Passive Consumption to Active Participation The trend is fundamentally changing how consumers discover and engage with products.

Shift from Marketing to Authenticity: Consumers are becoming more discerning, actively seeking out and trusting authentic recommendations over traditional advertisements.
Proactive Sourcing: Consumers are willing to go out of their way to find and purchase products, even from different countries, that have been part of a viral moment.
The "Experience" of Consumption: The act of buying and trying the product is now a social experience that is documented and shared online, turning consumption into content.

Implications of trend Across the Ecosystem: The New Marketing Playbook

For Consumers: The trend gives consumers a fun, new way to discover international products and feel connected to their favorite celebrities and global communities.
For Brands and CPGs: This is a wakeup call for brands to monitor social media for organic mentions and to be prepared to scale up quickly. It demonstrates that a strategic, celebrity-focused marketing plan is no longer the only way to achieve global recognition.
For Retailers: Retailers, both online and physical, must be agile and responsive to viral trends, quickly sourcing and stocking products that gain unexpected popularity.

Strategic Forecast: The Rise of Micro-Influencer Giants We will see more brands, particularly those with a strong regional identity, achieving global success through a single, powerful viral moment.

AI-Powered Trend Spotting: Brands will increasingly use AI tools to monitor social media for these unpredictable viral moments, allowing them to react faster.
Flexible Manufacturing: Companies will invest in more flexible manufacturing and supply chain systems that can scale up quickly to meet a sudden surge in demand.
Collaborative Ventures: While the initial moment was organic, brands will likely pursue strategic, small-scale collaborations with influencers after a viral moment to maintain momentum.

Areas of innovation: Leveraging Unexpected Virality

Agile Supply Chain Solutions: Innovating new supply chain models that allow for rapid response to viral demand, including quick-to-market export solutions for newfound global popularity.
Digital Storytelling: Creating engaging, authentic digital content that tells the story of the product and its sudden rise to fame, to keep the viral narrative alive.
Limited Edition Collabs: Releasing limited-edition products with packaging or flavors that reference the viral moment or the celebrity who started it.
Cross-Cultural Product Bundles: Partnering with other popular regional brands to create "viral sensation" bundles for international consumers, leveraging multiple trends at once.
Interactive Social Media Campaigns: Launching social media campaigns that encourage user-generated content and celebrate consumers' own experiences with the product.

Summary of Trends:

Core Consumer Trend (Fandom-Driven Consumption): Consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions based on the personal recommendations and preferences of the celebrities and influencers they follow.
Core Social Trend (Organic Virality): The unpredictable and powerful nature of organic social media trends is reshaping how products gain popularity on a global scale.
Core Strategy (Adaptive Business Models): The most successful businesses are those that are not only a part of a viral moment but can also adapt their product development and distribution strategies to capitalize on it.
Core Industry Trend (Local-to-Global Acceleration): The trend is accelerating the movement of niche, local products into the global market, creating new opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses.
Core Consumer Motivation (Community and Discovery): Consumers are motivated by a desire to feel part of a community and to discover authentic, new products that are validated by figures they admire.

Final Thought: The New Frontier of Brand Building The story of Fashion Food's tomato chips is a modern fable for the food industry. It proves that in the age of digital connection, a brand's greatest asset may not be its marketing budget but its ability to be discovered authentically. The power of a single social media post, fueled by a loyal fanbase, can rewrite a brand's history and catapult it from local favorite to global phenomenon. This trend is a clear signal that the future of brand building will be less about control and more about readiness, agility, and a deep understanding of the unpredictable power of digital culture.