[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] Recently, the food and beverage industry has shown great interest in the so-called ‘Halmaennial,’ referring to the millennial generation that prefers the tastes of the grandmother generation, such as ‘Halmae taste’ and ‘Granny sentiment.’ Along with the retro trend, traditional ingredients like black sesame, omija (Schisandra chinensis), and dried persimmon, as well as traditional snacks such as sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch), sikhye (sweet rice drink), and yanggaeng (red bean jelly), are interpreted by the industry as a ‘new charm’ for the younger generation.
According to the industry on the 17th, Hollys Coffee launched four autumn season beverages and one cake using various domestic ingredients on the 2nd. The new menu is characterized by Hollys MZ generation (born early 1980s to early 2000s) employees planning menus using traditional ingredients such as black sesame, omija, and pumpkin.
The Black Sesame Cream Latte is topped with rich and savory black sesame cream on a sweet condensed milk latte. The refreshing flavor of Hollys Premium Blend coffee beans and the smooth black sesame cream blend well to offer a luxurious retro style. The Omiberry Apple Tea, made mainly with Mungyeong omija and Cheongsong apples, is a tangy and sweet drink combining fresh omija extract with sweet apple pulp and red currants. The Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake is made by mashing seasonal autumn pumpkin and baking it with cream cheese, topped with fresh cream. It offers a soft and moist texture with a smoky flavor and sweet pumpkin taste in harmony.
Menus combining traditional Korean snacks like dried persimmon and sujeonggwa also catch the eye. Mega MGC Coffee launched beverages, yogurts, and snacks using specialties from Cheongdo and Gyeongsan in Gyeongsangbuk-do for autumn. The ‘Cheongdo Dried Persimmon Sujeonggwa Tea Pleasure’ is a season-limited tea blending drink using Mega Coffee’s unique sujeonggwa tea bag, delivering a sweet and slightly bitter taste that fills the mouth. The ‘Cheongdo Dried Persimmon Smoothie’ contains soft dried persimmon, capturing the unique sweetness of Cheongdo dried persimmon. The ‘Greek Yogurt Dried Persimmon Granola’ combines dried persimmon, Greek yogurt, and granola. Additionally, the ‘Gyeongsan Jujube Gwajeul’ is prepared by mixing Gyeongsan specialty jujubes and domestic wheat into Jeju-style fried Korean traditional sweets (gwajeul) coated with puffed rice and domestic malt syrup.
For consumers seeking traditional beverages, organic sikhye made using Korea’s unique manufacturing methods is also popular. Pulmuone Foods released ‘Organic Master’s Sikhye’ on the 17th of last month, made with domestic organic rice and malted barley using traditional methods.
Organic Master’s Sikhye uses all organic ingredients including domestic rice, malted barley, sugar, and hull-less barley used in sikhye production. To maximize flavor, it is made following the recipe containing the know-how of Korea’s first sikhye master designated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, using traditional manufacturing methods. The organic rice steamed into cooked rice and organic malted barley are mixed and fermented for several hours, naturally drawing out the clean sweetness of the ingredients without the need for artificial sweeteners. Production is limited to 18,000 bottles per day using traditional methods.
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