Pork trotters restaurants have changed, but the raw material market remains the same… What is the way out for domestic pork trotters?

SPECIAL REPORT ② /The second question in finding a way out for domestic pig's trotters. What did raw material distribution miss while the market changed?

The fact that domestic pig's trotters are not selling does not mean that consumption of pig's trotters has disappeared. The issue lies in how well the market supplying the raw materials has kept pace with the changes in how consumers select and order pig's trotters.

The difficulty for primary meat processing companies to sell refrigerated raw materials at fair prices and the shrinking supply of frozen pig's trotters are rooted in a confluence of factors: competition with imported raw materials, changes in purchasing practices within the foodservice market, and the expansion of consumption for small-volume and convenience foods. The next step in addressing the inventory issues examined in Part 1 is to understand the changes in demand sources.

Imported pig's trotters, which decreased in 2025, increased again by 24.4% this year

According to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency's import livestock product inspection results, the product name 'pig trotters' shows that the import volume in 2024 was 23,410.7 tons and in 2025 was 20,246.1 tons. Last year, it decreased by 13.5% compared to the previous year.

However, this year it is on the rise again.The import volume of pig's trotters from January to August 2026 is 17,073.5 tons.This represents an increase of 3,345.4 tons, or 24.4%, compared to 13,728.1 tons during the same period last year. In just eight months, imports equivalent to 84.3% of last year's annual volume were achieved.

However, the mere fact that imported pig's trotters have increased cannot be interpreted as proof of sluggish sales for domestic products. This is because issues regarding sales channels for domestic raw materials were raised even in 2025, when import volumes decreased. To assess the actual scale of substitution, additional data is required, such as the proportion of purchases and consumption of domestic and foreign raw materials, and sales volume in the foodservice market.

The burden of a large plate of jokbal… 1-2 person households account for 65.1% of the total

Jokbal has long grown into a menu item ordered by multiple people together for company dinners, family outings, and late-night snacks. However, the living units of consumers have shrunk. According to the 2024 Population and Housing Census by Statistics Korea, 1- to 2-person households account for 65.1% of general households, while 1-person households account for 36.1%.

On the other hand, the total cost of a large-sized jokbal menu order tends to be substantial. During industry meetings, instances were even discussed where jokbal menus at specialty restaurants were sold in the 50,000 won range. It is only natural that the price of the finished product cannot be lowered proportionally simply because raw material costs have decreased. This is because there are factors such as weight loss during the cooking process, labor costs, rent, and delivery fees. Nevertheless, for consumersThe absolute amount to be spent per mealThis is the selection criterion.

Changes in the culture of evening gatherings are also something to examine. According to Korea Credit Data’s ‘Q2 2025 Trends in Small Business Owners,’ sales at bars decreased by 9.2% compared to the same period last year. While this figure does not represent a direct survey of sales at jokbal specialty restaurants, it serves as a reference indicator showing the pressure faced by the food service industry regarding nighttime gatherings.

It’s not just a market for traditional jokbal restaurants… Delivery is one bowl, convenience stores are 100g

New demand is shifting toward small-quantity and convenient options. Baedal Minjok’s single-serving ordering service, ‘Han Geureut,’ launched in 2025, recorded a cumulative 27 million orders last year. This figure demonstrates that the consumption units in the delivery market have diversified, rather than just reflecting orders for jokbal (pig's trotters).

The product lineup at convenience stores has also changed. In June 2025, Emart24 partnered with Jangchung-dong Wang Jokbal to introduce 100g "Sliced Boneless Jokbal" and "Sliced Chewy Sliced Pork." These products, with volumes reduced by more than 60% compared to existing items, target one- to two-person households and the consumption of drinking alone or at home.

If these products establish themselves as new consumption outlets, they could bring about a change in the market currently concentrated on traditional jokbal specialty restaurants. However, the expansion of small-volume processed foods does not automatically lead to an increase in the purchase of domestic long trotters.What ingredients are used, and to what extent long trotters, short trotters, or separate trimmed meat are consumedYou need to check.

Franchises Undergo Generational Shift… Established Brands Decline while Emerging Brands Rise

Changes in the jokbal market are also evident in the number of franchise stores. According to public statistics based on the Fair Trade Commission's franchise business information disclosure statements, the number of franchise stores for Gajeong Masitneun Jokbal decreased from 395 in 2023 to 373 in 2025, while that of Jokbal Yasijang decreased from 231 to 193 during the same period.

On the other hand, the number of Jokbal Sinseonsaeng franchises increased from 48 in 2023 to 79 in 2024 and 117 in 2025. Another emerging brand, Gwihan Jokbal,From 97 in 2023 to 148 in 2024It increased. For Gwihan Jokbal, only the changes for 2023–2024 were presented as the 2025 figures could not be directly verified in this comparison. The contraction of existing brands and the growth of emerging brands are proceeding simultaneously.Reshaping Competition Among BrandsThis is an example that demonstrates it.

Changes in the number of franchise outlets are also important from the perspective of raw material distributors. New brands can establish food ingredient distribution networks different from existing ones, and purchasing criteria for front and hind trotters may vary depending on menu prices and specifications. However, the volume of domestic and imported raw materials purchased by individual brands cannot be determined solely from currently available franchise statistics, and an increase in the number of stores does not necessarily imply an increase in the consumption of domestic pig trotters.

The demand imbalance between ‘front and back legs’ is difficult to resolve without menu innovation

The change that the primary meat processing industry is directly experiencing is the purchasing methods of restaurants. Since store costs rise as the weight of raw materials increases for the same menu price, transactions are emerging that prefer hind hooves, which are relatively lower in price and easier to manage in terms of weight.

However, both front and hind trotters are produced from a single pig. If demand in the dining-out market is concentrated on specific cuts, the remaining parts become unsold inventory. Therefore, recovering sales channels for domestic pig's trotters does not stop at simply selling more of the dish. It requires a process of changing pricing, volume, and processing methods to utilize the parts with lower demand.

Meatballs and boneless products, military and institutional meals... There are many ways out, but there are conditions.

At a meeting of the meat processing industry, proposals were made to separate beef shank and sell it as a separate raw material for meat processing, or to sell a certain volume through institutional food service channels such as military meals. Suggestions were also made to utilize sales promotion channels such as the Korea Pork Self-Help Fund and Nonghyup Hanaro Marts.

However, each alternative comes with a prerequisite. Separating meat meat adds labor and shaping costs, and raises product quality control standards. For boneless convenience foods, not only a product production line but also actual buyers must be secured. Similarly, military meals or supermarket events become sustainable sales channels only after supplier selection, specifications, budget, safety, and consumption effectiveness are verified.

The military food and self-help fund support measures proposed at the industry meeting areIt is an industry proposal, not a finalized government policy.The suggestion that frozen pig's trotters could be supplied, processed, and sold at a price of 2,000 to 2,500 won per kg has also not been finalized as an actual contract price or support unit price.

Just as important as recovering prices is finding consumers who can continuously absorb the accumulated inventory.

The challenge for domestic pig's trotters is ‘redesigning demand sources’ rather than ‘recovering consumption’

It is difficult to find a solution by explaining the sluggish sales of domestic pig's trotters solely by the increase in imports or by blaming the downturn in the restaurant industry. Imports decreased in 2025 but increased again in 2026. While existing pig's trotters brands declined, new brands grew, and the products consumers seek diversified from large-capacity platters to small-capacity meals and convenience foods.

Looking at this change in reverse, it can be interpreted that the channels for consuming jokbal are becoming more diverse rather than disappearing. However,It cannot be definitively concluded that these changes are the cause of the decrease in demand for domestic pig's trotters.The proportion of domestic and imported ingredients used by food service establishments and sales volume by menu item must be investigated together. What is currently being confirmed isIssues raised in the field indicate a widening gap between the existing supply method centered on long legs and sets and changed purchasing conditions.all.

To regain stable sales channels for domestically produced pig's trotters, it is necessary to understand the specifications and pricing requirements of the food service industry while simultaneously developing new menus, processing markets, and institutional catering sales channels to accommodate cuts with relatively lower demand. Unless the gap between consumption and distribution is narrowed, it will be difficult to reduce the amount of pig's trotters remaining in cold storage.

If jokbal restaurants have changed, the raw material market must now change as well.

Sources and image sources and editorial notes

• Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency Imported Livestock Quarantine Performance (Pig Trotters): Annual for 2024 and 2025, Cumulative for January–August 2025 and 2026. 2026 figures are provisional.

• Statistics KoreaResults of the 2024 Population and Housing Census1-2 person households account for 65.1% of general households.

• Korea Credit Data Report on "Trends in Small Business Owners in Q2 2025":Bar sales -9.2%.

• Baedal Minjok One Bowl Order Performance:27 million cases in 2025.

• E-mart24 Jangchung-dong Wang Jokbal 100g Convenience Food:Shinsegae Group Newsroom (June 24, 2025).

• Number of franchise stores:The Most Delicious Jokbal(2023~25),Jokbal Night Market(2023~25),Jokbal Sinseonsaeng(2023~25),Precious Jokbal(2023~24). Disclosure aggregate based on the Fair Trade Commission's franchise business information disclosure statements.

• Actual photo of Jangchung-dong Jokbal Alley: Korea Tourism Organization Lee Beom-su (2019),Public Nuri Type 1. Actual Jokbal menu photo: Jo Hanshin(2025),CC0 1.0Both photos are past footage and do not serve as evidence of current sales status.

• 2026 pig trotters import volume (January–August) 17,073.5 tons, compared to 13,728.1 tons in the same period of the previous year: Raw data from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency's import livestock product quarantine performance was used.

The prices and statements from on-site personnel mentioned in this text are based on interviews and meetings with select companies and do not represent national averages or official survey results. The hypothetical calculations in the graphics do not represent actual inventory levels or accounting losses.