[Distribution Hot People] Roasting Method Bringing New Life to Ramen... "The Secret to Umami in Raw Ingredients"

Maximizing Original Ingredient Flavor with Roasting Method... Rich Broth from Ingredients Instead of Additives
Focusing on Chewy Dried Noodle Production with Patented Technology... Aiming to Change the Ramen Market Landscape
Junseok Park & Uichan Lee, Pulmuone Technology Institute, Nature Is Delicious Team Senior Researchers

Senior Researcher Lee Eui-chan (left) and Senior Researcher Park Jun-seok (right) at Pulmuone Technology Institute.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] Pulmuone, which has adhered to the principle of minimal additives, has created a ramen with rich umami flavor using natural ingredients instead of flavoring agents. The star product is Pulmuone's new non-fried brothless dried noodle line, "Nature is Delicious, Jeong·Baek·Hongmyeon." Having introduced the public to new ramen varieties such as Flower Crab Soup Noodles and Yukgaejang Kalguksu, Pulmuone brought in the "roasting method" to succeed in what seemed like an impossible new product mission. By roasting various ingredients like beef, mushrooms, garlic, onions, and clams, they preserved the strengths of the raw materials while eliminating their drawbacks, resulting in a deep and rich ramen broth. We met with Junseok Park and Uichan Lee, lead researchers of Pulmuone's Nature is Delicious team, to uncover the secret behind the roasting method and the story of Jeong·Baek·Hongmyeon's creation.

First, Researcher Park explained, "Previous products released by Pulmuone, such as Flower Crab Soup Noodles and Yukgaejang Kalguksu, were ramen with strong flavors unique to their raw ingredients. In contrast, Jeong·Baek·Hongmyeon focuses on creating a 'familiar ramen taste' based on the judgment that 'for a product to be loved by consumers for a long time, it must have a taste that is familiar and most appealing to the public.'"

To bring out the natural taste of the raw ingredients, Pulmuone chose the cooking method called "roasting," which involves heating food in an oven without adding moisture. It's easy to understand if you think about how coffee beans are roasted to enhance their rich aroma and flavor. Pulmuone actively applied the roasting method in the process of making the powdered soup for Jeong·Baek·Hongmyeon and the flavor sauces for Jeongmyeon and Hongmyeon.

Senior Researcher Lee Eui-chan (left) and Senior Researcher Park Jun-seok (right) at Pulmuone Technology Institute.

Researcher Lee said, "Compared to 'Baekmyeon,' which offers a refreshing broth flavor through the harmony of clams and beef bone broth, we thought it necessary to add roasted oil flavor using the roasting method to complement the tastes of 'Jeongmyeon' and 'Hongmyeon.' For 'Jeongmyeon,' which has a clean umami flavor from plant-based ingredients, we made a flavor sauce by mixing roasted garlic-infused canola oil and roasted canola oil with chili peppers. For 'Hongmyeon,' which pursues the most familiar taste to the public with beef and mushroom broth, we blended chili peppers, oil, green onions, and beef bone broth in a large pot, raised the temperature to 100 degrees Celsius to roast, then added additional ingredients and cooked at 90 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes to create the flavor sauce," he explained.

Additionally, Pulmuone poured its accumulated noodle-making know-how into this new product. Researcher Park emphasized, "Traditionally, dried noodles have a strong perception of being 'tasteless' because the broth does not absorb well into the noodles compared to fried noodles. However, Pulmuone has proprietary patented technology for dried noodles, which allowed us to overcome this weakness. By naturally creating tiny holes during the drying process using a large air fryer, the broth is able to absorb well into the noodles."

Senior Researcher Lee Eui-chan (left) and Senior Researcher Park Jun-seok (right) at Pulmuone Technology Institute.

They also shared behind-the-scenes stories from the development process. Researcher Park laughed, "We tasted and revised the flavor many times, and to create the taste we wanted, from January this year until the day before launch, we ate ramen nonstop. At some point, when we gathered the team, everyone would fast the day before and come prepared with digestive aids."

They aim for "Nature is Delicious Jeong·Baek·Hongmyeon" to grow into a long-lasting brand loved for many years, slowly changing the ramen market landscape. Researcher Lee expressed confidence in the product's taste and quality, saying, "If today's children like Jeong·Baek·Hongmyeon, I believe they will continue to seek this flavor for the next 30 to 40 years." Researcher Park also said, "I believe the day will soon come when the rich broth flavor realized through roasting raw ingredients is recognized. Next, we plan to deliver another familiar and healthy taste to consumers through fermentation, aging, and seasonal ingredients."