Korea jumps on plant-based trend as companies aim for overseas

Industry

Published: 08 Jul. 2022, 15:58 Updated: 08 Jul. 2022, 15:58

Korea jumps on plant-based trend as companies aim for overseas

Plant-based dumplings and fried rice from Pulmuone's Vegetable Earth Diet line [PULMUONE]

Food companies are jumping on the plant-based food bandwagon.

Companies have launched vegetarian brands and are actively releasing plant-based home meal replacements.

These food companies are not only targeting the growing number of vegetarians at in Korea, but also customers overseas where vegetarianism is more common and K-food's global recognition is growing.

Pulmuone, a food company known for its organic brands, announced Thursday that it is launching a new line of plant-based dumplings and fried rice under the brand Vegetable Earth Diet.

The dumpling is filled either shiitake mushrooms or tofu instead of meat.

The frozen fried rice uses artificial meat made of soy.

Pulmuone made taste the top priority in its plant-based home meal replacements. In its dumplings, the texture of the stuffing was enhanced with plant-based Korean ingredients, and the moisture content of the surface of the dumplings was adjusted to make them sumptuous when steamed and crispy when baked.

The meat substitute used in the two types of fried rice was researched and developed by Pulmuone Foundation and uses vegetable protein extracted from soy beans to emulate the taste and texture of meat.

Pulmuone plans to expand to other plant-based, convenient, ready-to-eat meals such as tteokbokki (stir-fried spicy rice cakes), jjajangmyeon (noodles with black bean sauce), pizza, pasta and burritos, starting with Thursday’s release of frozen dumplings and frozen fried rice.

Vegetarian Five Color Bibimbap and Vegetarian Schnitzel Curry Rice, plant-based meals from Organica [ORGANICA]

Organica launched two types of convenient vegetarian meals — Vegetarian Five Color Bibimbap and Vegetarian Schnitzel Curry Rice — in a collaboration with MAGGI, a Nestle food brand.

The curry dish is topped with ribs completely made out of vegetables and German pork cutlet, schnitzel, which is a plant-based alternative.

The meals are high in protein, each containing between 19 to 25 grams of the macronutrient.

CJ CheilJedang last year launched a specialized plant brand, Plant Table.

The brand owns Bibigo Mandu, a 100 percent plant-based, certified vegan line of dumplings. Mandu is Korean for dumplings.

Bibigo Mandu, a 100 percent plant-based, certified vegan line of dumplings [CJ CHEILJEDANG]

Vegetable oil and numerous different vegetables are used in the stuffing that offers full flavor without the meat.

When it was first launched, it was sold in Korea, Australia and Singapore.

Ten months since its release, it is now exported to 10 countries.

Bigigo Mandu is expected to be released in Europe in the third quarter this year.

Hyundai Green Food, under Hyundai Department Store, is also stepping up its vegetarian meal lines.

Hyundai Green Food in July created Veggie Life, a new vegetarian meal line from its existing Greating brand, which makes meals that cater especially to the needs of the elderly and those with disabilities.

Veggie Life products include Hamburg steaks, soft tofu, sushi rice, and walnut gochujang bibimbap.

All animal-based ingredients have been replaced with plant-based ingredients.

The Hamburg steaks are made with a soy-based meat alternative, and soft tofu is added to the soy bean paste instead of mussels to enhance the texture. In the gochujang, ground tofu and walnuts are used instead of beef.

“The domestic vegetarian population has increased from 1.5 million in 2018 to 2.5 million last year,” said an official from Hyundai Green Food. “A new word, flexitarian, which refers to people who fluctuate between the various stages of vegetarianism, has also appeared, along with the word vegan. There is an increasing number of consumers who prefer vegetarian food.”

Hamburg steak made out of soy beans [HYUNDAI GREEN FOOD]

Hyundai Green Food saw vegan products sold on its Greating online mall increase fivefold last month compared to December.

The vegetarian category of the online mall was first launched in December.

As the world’s interest in Korean food is also growing, some say it is a natural development for domestic food companies actively considering overseas expansion to launch convenient foods and vegetarian alternatives.

“Korean dumplings, which have been released with unique features, such as the filling being made with tofu and stir-fired kimchi, will also expand into overseas markets in line with the global trend of favoring plant-oriented foods,” said an official from Pulmuone.

BY YOO JI-YOEN [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]