[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] As the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has normalized staying at home, products with ample capacity and excellent storage capabilities that can be enjoyed leisurely at home are naturally gaining attention. In particular, with the recent subzero temperatures leading to a significant decrease in outings, so-called ‘jaeng-yeo food’?foods that can be stored and eaten comfortably at home?are becoming popular.
‘Jaeng-yeo food’ is a compound word combining ‘jaeng-ida,’ meaning to pile up items, and ‘food.’ Products that consider consumer needs, such as fruit preserves that allow enjoying fruit anytime regardless of the season, large-quantity snacks, and kimchi, are attracting attention due to their generous portions and convenient storage.
An expert in the food industry said, “In the past, small and convenient single-serving packages targeting single-person households were popular, but after COVID-19, products with ample capacity and excellent storability are gaining more attention.”
Dole Korea recently introduced ‘Apricot Half Cut,’ which contains large halves of apricots in a glass jar with 100% fruit juice (including vitamin C and citric acid) for easy enjoyment. The Apricot Half Cut is a product that allows you to enjoy both the fruit flesh and juice at once by packing large pieces of apricot with fruit juice. Due to the nature of fruit preserves, it has a longer shelf life than regular fresh fruit and is easy to store, allowing convenient consumption over a long period. The large apricot pieces are packed in a generous 550g jar, which can be cut to the desired size and used as toppings or in bakery items.
Sempio launched ‘Jilleo Whole Beef Jerky,’ which contains whole pieces of jerky without cutting. Made from Australian clean beef round cuts, the jerky is thick and large to maximize the chewing experience. It is perfect as a snack to tear and eat while drinking alone and can also be cut into bite-sized pieces for snacking.
CJ CheilJedang released ‘Hetbahn Sotbap,’ an instant nutritious pot rice brand that can be easily enjoyed at home with just microwave cooking. The product lineup includes four types: root vegetable nutritious rice, mushroom nutritious rice, whole grain rice, and honey yakbap (sweet rice). These products add flavor by boiling mushrooms, radish, cinnamon, etc., into the cooking water and include large pieces of ingredients such as mushrooms, lotus root, and sweet potato, allowing consumers to enjoy nutritious pot rice at home. They can be stored at room temperature for nine months, and the containers are designed in the shape of rice bowls to enhance eating convenience.
CU became the first in the industry to launch a PB (Private Brand) kimchi called ‘HEYROO Kimchi Deuktem.’ The product is a large 1.9kg package, equivalent to about one and a half heads of napa cabbage, providing enough quantity for a single-person household to consume throughout the month. Priced at 8,900 won, it costs half the price of other kimchi sold at convenience stores. While lowering the price, to ensure taste and quality, all ingredients from napa cabbage to salt, red pepper powder, fish sauce, ginger, and garlic are domestically sourced agricultural products. The kimchi is fermented using a low-temperature fermentation method at a consistent temperature, resulting in a refreshing and clean taste.
Ottogi launched ‘Room Temperature Pouch Soup,’ ideal for warm and convenient enjoyment in winter. This product, which adds smooth cream to fresh ingredients to replicate the rich soup taste found in restaurants, includes ‘Corn Cream Soup’ made with coarsely ground corn, as well as ‘Mushroom Cream Soup,’ ‘Bacon Potato Soup,’ and ‘Pumpkin Cream Soup.’ As a room-temperature product, it can be stored long-term and provides the rich soup flavor of a restaurant with just microwave heating.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
