Namyang Dairy has maintained its position as the leader in South Korea's liquid protein market for the second consecutive year with its 'Take Fit' brand. The company has seen significant growth in sales during the first half of this year by diversifying its product lineup, which includes high-protein drinks, shakes, and energy gels.
On August 20, Namyang Dairy announced that, according to market research firm Market Link POS, it achieved the highest market share in sales among manufacturers in the domestic liquid protein market from October 2023 to September 2025. The gap in market share with the second-place company widened from 1.1 percentage points in the period from October 2023 to September 2024 to 1.3 percentage points in the following year.
The brand has also continued its growth trajectory. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), Take Fit ranked first in offline sales for a single brand in the domestic protein drink market for four consecutive quarters from the second quarter of last year to the first quarter of this year. Sales of Take Fit in the first half of this year increased by 76.1% compared to the same period last year.
Namyang Dairy has consistently expanded its product range to cater to various protein intake needs and preferences. Launched in 2022 as a protein powder, Take Fit now offers seven product lines with 18 items, including RTD (ready-to-drink) beverages, single-serving protein shakes, and energy gels.
Notably, the company has introduced high-protein products in succession. The 'Take Fit Monster,' which was launched last May with 43 grams of protein, has since increased its protein content to 45 grams and then to 47 grams last month. The 'Take Fit Extreme,' introduced in May, became the first RTD protein drink in South Korea to contain 60 grams of protein per bottle, leading the ultra-high-protein market. In April, the company added the single-serving protein shake 'Take Fit Breadmill,' and in June, it launched the squeezable functional energy gel 'Take Fit Booster.'
Each product varies not only in protein content but also in nutritional design. The company uses a combination of milk protein isolate (MPI) and soy protein isolate (SPI), adjusting the blend of EAA, BCAA, and arginine based on the product concept. They have also focused on reducing the chalkiness and off-flavors that can occur in high-protein beverages.
Sales channels have been segmented to match the primary consumer demographics for each product. The Breadmill was initially launched on Musinsa, while the Extreme was made available on the Olive Young online store. After discontinuing its own online store, Namyang has utilized the Naver Brand Store as its official online sales platform.
In terms of international strategy, Namyang expanded its reach last year by entering Hong Kong's Circle K and a major supermarket chain in Mongolia, and in the first half of this year, it extended its sales to Kazakhstan's CU. In May, Take Fit Monster was selected for the 'SIAL CHINA 2026' Innovation Award selection.
Kim Seok-yun, category manager at Namyang Dairy, stated, "As consumers' purposes and preferences for protein products diversify, the criteria for selection are becoming more segmented, including protein content, taste, nutritional design, and consumption methods. We will continue to expand our product portfolio and sales touchpoints to broaden our growth base in domestic and international markets."
Meanwhile, a newsletter published by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) reported that the domestic protein food market has grown approximately 5.5 times, from 81.3 billion won in 2018 to 450 billion won in 2023. This year, it is projected to reach 800 billion won.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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