Mom's Touch Launches Spicy 'Nashville Combo' Burger Targeting Home Chuchok Preferences
Paldog and Freshigo Also Release New Products... Expecting Sales Growth in Spicy Menu Items
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] This Chuseok holiday is expected to see an increase in ‘Gwipojok’?people giving up returning home due to the impact of COVID-19?and ‘Homechujok’?those spending Chuseok at home. Additionally, more than 90% of Seoul citizens have reported experiences related to ‘COVID-19 depression,’ and stress from movement restrictions during this holiday period is expected to intensify. In response, the food industry is continuously launching various ‘spicy’ products that help relieve ‘corona blues’ and ‘stay-at-home stress’ while also easing worries about home-cooked meals.
According to the related industry on the 30th, Haemaro Food Service’s burger and chicken brand Mom’s Touch has introduced the ‘Nashville Combo’ to reflect increased delivery demand due to COVID-19 and consumer needs such as solo diners, allowing 1-2 person customers to enjoy a more diverse menu.
Mom’s Touch’s ‘Nashville Hot Chicken Series’ features a spicy flavor with a special hot chicken sauce in the style of Nashville, USA, and has received enthusiastic responses in the spicy food market. In particular, Mom’s Touch’s ‘Nashville Hot Chicken Burger’ is a medium-spicy menu positioned between their ‘Bulsai Burger’ and ‘Salsarico Burger.’ It features a whole thigh patty coated with a spicy special hot chicken sauce, combined with fresh coleslaw and savory white cheese.
The Nashville Combo is available as a ‘Single Nashville Combo (for 1 person)’ and a ‘Couple Nashville Combo (for 2 persons).’ The Single Nashville Combo includes Nashville Hot Thigh, Nashville Hot Chicken Burger, Cajun seasoned fries, and a soft drink, allowing solo Homechujok to enjoy a rich menu. The Couple Nashville Combo consists of Nashville Hot Thigh, Nashville Hot Chicken Burger, Cy Burger, Cajun seasoned fries, and two soft drinks, featuring Mom’s Touch’s best-selling items.
A Mom’s Touch representative said, “Although this holiday is a golden holiday lasting up to five days, many Homechujok are expected to cancel their trips home due to COVID-19,” adding, “We hope people relieve their stay-at-home stress and worries about home meals during the long holiday with Mom’s Touch Nashville Combo.”
Paldo is set to launch ‘Paldo Tteumsae Ramen Stir-fried Noodles.’ Tteumsae Stir-fried Noodles is a new product from Tteumsae Ramen, a leading spicy ramen brand in Korea. The product is a stir-fried ramen without soup, and it is the brand’s first to use liquid seasoning to enhance its mixed noodle characteristics.
The liquid seasoning is based on Vietnamese sky chili, the main ingredient of Tteumsae Ramen. It also includes new ingredients such as stir-fried vegetables and grilled aroma, delivering an addictive spicy flavor. The dried seasoning contains four ingredients?seaweed, sesame, egg, and tempura flakes?enhancing the savory flavor and rich texture. The noodles have increased protein content and about 25% thicker strands to maintain a chewy and firm texture. The ingredient ratio was also adjusted to minimize starch release, resulting in a clean taste.
Tteumsae Stir-fried Noodles are notable for being developed with direct customer participation from planning to development. In February, Paldo announced a new product development recruitment through its social network service (SNS) channels targeting customers. Subsequently, 100 customer advisory members were selected and given opportunities to participate in all development stages for about six months, from product type selection to sensory evaluation and design creation. The advisory group included food engineering students, chefs, YouTubers, and influencers who regularly enjoy spicy food, enhancing both expertise and popularity.
Also notable are meal kits for consumers who want to enjoy high-quality spicy flavors like those in restaurants but with convenience. Freshige, the market leader in meal kit market share, introduced ‘Thinly Sliced Pork Belly Spicy Cold Noodles.’ This meal kit includes a special mixed sauce with Vietnamese chili that tingles the tongue, savory thinly sliced pork belly that soothes the strong spiciness, herb salt, rich broth, and cold noodles. It offers a generous portion for two adults, and by adjusting the amount of water, consumers can choose between mixed noodles or cold noodles according to their preference.
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