Lotte Wellfood is stepping up efforts to turn Pepero Day into a global cultural marketing platform, teaming up with K-pop group Stray Kids to promote the Korean snack brand beyond its home market.
Stray Kids, the global ambassador for Lotte Wellfood’s Pepero brand, released a digital single titled “November 11” at 1 p.m. Korea time on Sept. 10 across major music platforms in Korea and overseas.
The collaboration is designed to introduce international consumers to Pepero and the Korean tradition of Pepero Day, which falls on Nov. 11. Rather than focusing solely on the product, Lotte Wellfood is using music and K-pop content to communicate the holiday’s theme of sharing and expressing affection.
Built around a refreshing band sound, “November 11” captures the excitement of exchanging Pepero with someone special. Stray Kids member HAN participated in writing and composing the song.
The latest campaign comes as Lotte Wellfood expands Pepero’s overseas presence. The company’s global Pepero Day campaign was rolled out across 35 markets last year, up from 15 markets in 2024. Pepero exports also rose to approximately 87 billion won ($63 million) last year, up about 25% from 70 billion won a year earlier.
Lotte Wellfood plans to use the new release as a launchpad for this year’s global Pepero Day campaign. The company will hold a streaming verification event through Pepero’s official social media channels, while a teaser for the 2026 global campaign featuring the new song will be released on Sept. 11.
The partnership with Stray Kids began in May 2025, when the group was selected as Pepero’s global ambassador. The two sides extended their partnership in April this year and plan to roll out a broader range of marketing initiatives targeting younger consumers around the world.
Lotte Wellfood is particularly focused on strengthening Pepero’s position in North America and Southeast Asia, where the brand has established a foothold as a Korean snack, while exploring growth opportunities in Europe, East Asia and India.
The company said the collaboration reflects its broader strategy of combining K-pop and Korean cultural content with its brands to build global recognition.
“We want to share Pepero’s core values of warmth and sharing with consumers around the world through our collaboration with Stray Kids,” a Lotte Wellfood official said. “We will continue developing global marketing campaigns that introduce distinctive Korean culture and establish Pepero as a leading brand representing K-culture.”
