Kwangdong Pharmaceutical has recorded the highest sales of functional health food among the domestic drugmakers.

Korea Biomedical Review analyzed the records of health food sales made through channels other than pharmacies by the domestic pharmaceutical companies in the first quarter, based on the data of LinkAztec Korea _{링크아즈텍 코리아}, a market survey company.

As a result, 20 pharmaceutical companies (excluding health food subsidiaries) among 202 companies in total have sold more than kind of medical supplies. These pharmaceutical companies accounted for 7.5 percent of the total health food market by recording 4.4 billion won ($3.9 million) in sales. The total sales of health food made through distribution channels than pharmacies in the first three months totaled 59.65 billion won.

(Source: LinkAztec Korea)

Among pharmaceutical companies, the health food sales of Kwangdong Pharmaceutical_{^광동제약} were highest with 1.3 billion won, which was also ranked at fifth place among all suppliers. Following its lead were Dongkook Pharm_동국제약(sixth place, 1.1 billion won), Kyung Nam Pharm_경남제약(12th place, 760 million won), Yuhan Corp._유한양행(15th place, 640 million won), Hamsoa Pharmaceutical_{함소아제약} (27th place, 170 million won), and Nature Cell_네이처셀(29th place, 140 million won).

Sanofi-Aventis Korea _{한국사노피-아벤티스}, which has the health food brand Cenovis, was noticeable among multinational pharmaceutical firms by being ranked at the seventh place (30th place in all companies) with 130 million won, followed by Kolon Pharm_{코오롱제약}(34 million won), Hyundai Pharm_현대제약(25 million won), Dongwha Pharm_동화제약(10 million won), LG Chem_LG화학(9 million won), Handok_한독(8 million won).

By product, Lemona made by Kyung Nam Pharm was ranked in the first place among pharmaceutical companies’ items with 760 million won in sales, and in the 14th place among the total 654 items. Following Lemona’s leader were Truth made by Yuhan Corp. ranked at the second place with 640 million won (16th place in total items), and Red Ginseng made by Kwangdong Pharmaceutical in the third place with 470 million won (24th place in total items).

By distribution channel, pharmaceutical companies recorded the highest sales at discount stores with 1.6 billion won, or 37.2 percent, followed by department stores with 1 billion won or 23.4 percent, and large supermarkets owned by individuals with 20.1 percent.

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