Emart24 Changes Lunchbox Rice to 'Ilpummi' for a Limited 3-Month Sale

A customer is purchasing a lunchbox made with Ilpum rice at an Emart24 store.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Emart24 is set to captivate customers by switching the rice used in its lunchboxes to a premium variety.

According to Emart24 on the 7th, the rice in 10 popular lunchbox varieties will be changed to Ilpummmi, a premium variety, starting in July, and will be sold for a limited period of three months. Ilpummmi is rice cultivated in the Gyeongbuk region, characterized by small, round grains that cook evenly due to a low expansion temperature, with a glossy appearance and stickiness, resulting in excellent taste.

Every year, freshly harvested rice from October is used in lunchboxes, kimbap, and rice balls. However, around July to August, just before the new harvest, moisture in the stored rice evaporates, reducing the taste quality. To maintain the flavor, Emart24 will sell lunchboxes made with the premium Ilpummmi rice for about three months until the October harvest arrives.

The products switching to Ilpummmi include 10 popular lunchbox items such as ‘Pujimhan Jeyuk Jeongchan Dosirak’, ‘Songjeong Bulkkoji Baekban’, ‘Ilpum Hansik Bansang’, ‘Handon Bulgogi Bibimbap’, and ‘Basak Macha Tongdeungsim Donkkaseu Deopbap’. These products will feature a sticker verifying the Nonghyup Ilpummmi rice.

Emart24 expects that the sale of lunchboxes with enhanced rice flavor will receive great response, aligning with the recent surge in customers seeking cost-effective convenience store lunchboxes.

Additionally, 20,000 units of high-quality rice will be sold at an ultra-low price. The Nonghyup Hwangjin Rice (4kg) sold by Emart24 is produced in Boryeong, Chungnam. Although it is a mixed rice, it contains a high proportion (over 70%) of ‘Chindeul’, an excellent domestic variety, making it very glossy and sticky when cooked. The price is 10,900 KRW (273 KRW per 100g).

Moon Jeongin, MD of Emart24’s Ready Meal Team, stated, “We aim to increase customer satisfaction through the sale of lunchboxes made with premium rice varieties,” and added, “We plan to continuously introduce delicious lunchboxes under the slogan ‘Delicious Ideas’.”