"Haeppang cooks rice and water in its container," explained a factory representative at CJ Blossom Campus in Jincheon, South Korea, during a visit on October 21. Inside the facility, 4,200 units of Haeppang rice were cooking simultaneously. The cooking method involves preparing the rice in its container for about 30 minutes. The round containers seen in supermarkets and convenience stores serve as small rice cookers here.
The process of cooking rice in its container to preserve the 'freshly cooked rice taste' has been a core competitive advantage of Haeppang since its launch in 1996, transforming South Korean food culture. The Jincheon plant serves as a production base leveraging this unique technology and plays a pivotal role in spreading Korean rice culture worldwide, producing approximately 290 million units of Haeppang annually across five production lines.
Quality control begins at the rice intake stage. CJ CheilJedang stores the rice in a low-temperature warehouse at 15 degrees Celsius to inhibit fat oxidation. It is the only instant rice manufacturer in South Korea with its own milling facility on-site. The rice arrives in brown rice form, is milled on the same day, and cooked within 24 hours to maintain freshness and sheen.
The aseptic packaging process is a key technology that allows Haeppang to be stored at room temperature for nine months without preservatives. The rice in the container undergoes a pressurized sterilization process using high-temperature, high-pressure steam. After cooking the rice with purified water, the containers are sealed in a clean environment filtered by HEPA filters that remove airborne particles and dust. The sealed containers are inverted for 15 minutes to evenly distribute moisture that has settled at the bottom, followed by a 15-minute cooling period before they proceed to the quality inspection line.
Quality verification is thorough, involving four stages: weight checks, metal detection, X-ray inspection, and visual quality assessment. Products undergo additional verification before shipment, with microbial and chemical analyses conducted from the day of production to check for abnormalities. After five days, products are shipped to distributors, while some are stored in a 35-degree Celsius heated storage room for one to two months to track quality changes over time.
The research and development (R&D) and quality control technologies accumulated over 30 years have laid the foundation for expanding product lines and international business. The Haeppang brand surpassed 1 trillion won in combined domestic and international sales in 2023, achieving a record high of over 1.1 trillion won last year. Cumulative sales since its launch are estimated to reach approximately 10 trillion won by the end of this year. CJ CheilJedang plans to expand Haeppang's annual domestic and international sales to 1.5 trillion won by 2028.
In South Korea, the company is broadening its product range to include mixed grains and wellness options in line with health trends. The proportion of mixed grain rice in the domestic Haeppang instant rice business increased from about 10% in 2019 to over 30% last year. Oh Ye-jin, a senior researcher at CJ CheilJedang, stated, "We will continue R&D to allow consumers to choose 'better carbohydrates' that fit their lifestyles." The company plans to launch 'Haeppang Protein Mixed Grain Rice' in December, which will feature 100% plant-based protein rice to enhance protein content.
Internationally, Haeppang is accelerating its market penetration. The product is available in over 60 countries, with overseas sales growing at an average annual rate of about 30% over the past five years. The share of overseas sales in total revenue increased from 8% in 2021 to 15% last year, with plans to raise this to over 20-25% by 2028.
In particular, in the United States, more consumers are recognizing rice as a healthy carbohydrate alternative to bread and other staples. CJ CheilJedang is promoting the unique qualities of Korean sticky rice to meet this demand. The company reports an 11.9% market share in the U.S. processed rice market. All white rice Haeppang sold in the U.S. is produced and exported from the Busan and Jincheon plants.
Kim Suk-jin, head of the food marketing team at CJ CheilJedang, explained that American consumers are using Haeppang not only in Asian dishes but also as a side for chicken and steak or as ingredients in burritos and rice bowls. He added, "We will do our best to grow Haeppang into a representative product of the 'next K-wave' following dumplings."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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