Discover the world of HBAF nuts, a healthy yet tasty snack in Korea with a wide range of offerings, from almonds to popcorn and more.
Walking down the Myeongdong streets in Seoul, you must have seen the vibrant yellow stores of HBAF enticing you to come in. This brand, although not Korean, started with honey butter almonds – a staple in Korean snacking scene. And now it has evolved into many new flavors of almonds and other mixed nut. They even have flagship store in Myeongdong – you can just imagine the level of success the brand has attained. HBAF is also one of the yummiest souvenir snack in Korea.
What is HBAF?
HBAF, pronounced BAF (with H silent), is Healthy But Awesome Flavors.
And since it is linked to Korea, most people assume that it’s ‘Honey Butter Almond and Friends.’ That was the name quite popular among foreign tourists visiting the HBAF Flagship store in Myeongdong (closed now).
The Myeongdong Honey Butter Almond and Friends store was set up when the company wasn’t even HBAF, it was Tom’s Farm. After rebranding, Tom’s Farm became HBAF, Healthy But Awesome Flavors, and the Honey Butter Almond and Friends logo became synonymous to the brand.
HBAF is famous for its eye-catching packaging, a wide variety of flavors, and its adorable cartoon characters that adorn all the packets. In addition, the South Korean actress Jeon Ji Hun serves as the brand’s ambassador and graces many store posters and advertisements.
Is HBAF Korean? And Why is It Popular?
Almonds are not a native crop of South Korea. They are imported and HBAF was the first company to do so in 1982. Soon, they captured the majority of the market, creating a monopoly over almond products in the country.
HABF is the biggest nuts brand in South Korea. They released their first honey butter almond product in 2015 and since then, it has gained massive popularity among locals and tourists. The growth was so massive that it opened its first flagship store in 2019 in Myeongdong.
While the brand is best synonymous with honey butter almonds, their following releases included a multitude of flavors. They have one of the largest nut varieties in Korea, making them a prefect snack option in South Korea. HBAF nuts are also the perfect souvenir that you can bring back home.
Where can I buy HBAF products in Korea?
There are several options to get HBAF nuts and other products in South Korea, including their own brand HBAF stores which can be found in Seoul.
You can find HBAF products at some Olive Young beauty stores, 7-Eleven stores (usually just the malt balls), Lotte Duty Free shops, and various Korea Marts and souvenir shops.
HBAF flavored almonds are also available at Seoul Incheon International Airport, but they’re a bit pricier than at HBAF Myeongdong or 7-Eleven.
If you’re looking to buy HBAF from overseas, it’s a bit trickier, but there are some unofficial stockists on Amazon.com and other small sweet suppliers.
HBAF Flagship Stores in Korea
There are multiple flagship stores in Seoul with Myeongdong hosing all of them. There is no way that you can miss out on the brightly colored stores if you are walking down the Myeongdong Road. And by chance you are not in Seoul, you can still get your fill of HBAF nuts in Korea through any convenience store, supermarket, or even popups in shopping complexes.
HBAF Must Try Nuts
The brand is synonymous with honey butter almonds but they have come up with some unique flavors – sweet and savory. Don’t worry if you don’t like almonds, they have plenty other snacking options for you to try.
HBAF Almonds
HBAF started with almonds and they have some of the most classic and crazy flavors in their portfolio. Some of the HABF almond flavors in Korea are:
- Honey Butter Almond
- Sweet & Spicy Chicken Almond
- Fried Chicken Almond
- Soy Sauce Chicken Almond
- Wasabi Almond
- Baked Corn Almond
- Garlic Bread Almond
- Caramel Salted Almond & Pretzel
- Cheongyang Mayo Almond
- Ttoekbokki Almond
- Injeolmi Almond
- Roasted Onion Almond
- Cheddar Cheese Almonds (with pretzels)
- and many more…
Other HBAF Products
In addition to delicious almonds, the company has a delightful selection of snacks which include other nuts, chickpeas, peanuts, and even makegeolli.
- Garlic Bread Chickpeas
- Honey Butter Peanuts
- Roaster Onion Chickpeas
- Wasabi Peannuts
- Roasted & Salted Peanuts
- Baked Corn Peanuts and Corn Fries
- Sichuan Peanuts and Corn Fries
- Original Mix Nuts
- Maple Pecan Mixnuts
- Honey Butter Pretzels
- Wasabi Seaweed Chip
- Sweet Potato Popcorn
- and many more…
How much do HBAF products cost?
The prices vary. The flavored almonds are the priciest, costing around 7,900 Won per bag (or 30,000 Won if you buy five different bags).
Other HBAF products are much cheaper. For example, you can get a packet of HBAF malt malls for 2,500 Won (often on a buy one get one free deal at 7-Eleven and CU stores). Or, you can get a chilled bottle of Honey butter Almond makgeolli rice wine for 3,800 Won.
If you’re looking to buy HBAF in South Korea, the best place to go is usually the dedicated HBAF stores. They usually have a great deal where you can buy a bunch of packs or five different flavors for a much lower price than if you just bought one pack.
On the other hand, the most expensive place to buy them seems to be at the airports, especially Seoul Incheon International Airport.
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