K-Food Newsletter

I Love Jeong Food: Opens New Market for Potatoes Through Processing Innovation
Date
2023-07-03 15:07:32
Hit
339
Email
gnia@nicednb.com

There is a company that has successfully developed the business of potatoes, which have long been used as food ingredients or meal substitutes, through processing innovation. I Love Jeong Food supplies 100% domestic potatoes in a variety of shapes and combinations with other foods to create processed potato products like never before. The company's main product is the "whirlwind potato," which is made by processing fresh potatoes into a spiral shape, then coating it with a special frying powder and frying it in oil. The whirlwind potato is also known as the "Doldol Potato" because it is made in the shape of a rolled potato. In 2023, it was selected as a souvenir of Okcheon County, where the company is located. It has helped domestic potato farmers and increased the popularity of K-Food. 

 

 

 

 

The 'Pine Whirlwind Potato' is made with a mixture of pineapple juice and special frying powder, while the Crispy Whirlwind Potato is breaded for a crispier taste. There's also a 'Snowflake Hurricane Potato' topped with snowflake rice balls and a 'Sweet Soboro Potato' topped with soboro powder. Other typical potato products include 'Tteok Hweori Potato' (potato stuffed with rice cake) made with rice cake, 'Sausage Hweori Potato' (potato stuffed with smoked sausage), 'Woori Potato Stick' made in the shape of a stick, 'Woori Striped Potato' cut into waves, 'Woori Beoljip Potato' made in the shape of a honeycomb, and 'Hanip Bndal Potato' (bite-sized crescent potato) cut into large pieces. They also have some products made with potato flour, such as 'Woori Wheat Potato Sujebi' (hand-pulled dough soup) and 'Potato Ongsimi' (potato ball soup). 

 

In addition to various potato products, which are the company's signature products, the company has developed into a general food company that supplies school meals and online sales. In terms of sales, the company grew rapidly to KRW 700 million in 2013, KRW 2.7 billion in 2014, KRW 5.24 billion in 2015, KRW 5.14 billion in 2016, KRW 12.23 billion in 2017, KRW 18.29 billion in 2018, and KRW 20.41 billion in 2019. After dropping to KRW 13.05 billion in 2020 due to COVID-19, the company's sales recovered to KRW 19.5 billion in 2021 and KRW 24.22 billion in 2022. In terms of the distribution of product sales, 90% of sales came from school lunches, 8% from online sales, and 2% from military payments. The company also participated in overseas promotions and exhibitions before the pandemic. It is now preparing to export to the United States.

 

 

 

 

I Love Jeong Food started as a sole proprietorship called 'Easy Food'. In 2002, it was the first to supply sliced fruit for school lunches, and in 2003, it developed the world's first whirlwind potato. On February 1, 2013, the company officially launched as Whirlwind Corporation, an agricultural company with capital of KRW 300 million. In 2014, the company received HACCP certification, and in 2015, it registered a patent for the production of whirlwind potatoes and completed the construction of an automated production line for the pretreatment of agricultural products. That year, the company registered three patents for automated cutting machines and seven trademark registrations. In November 2019, the company established a research center and was designated as a technologically innovative small and medium-sized enterprise. In 2020, the company changed its name to I Love Jeong Food. It holds patents for food cutting machines, spiralized and honeycomb processed potatoes, and wavy potato sticks.  


Consumer response has been overwhelmingly positive. Approximately 84% of online customers have given them a five-star rating with 96% satisfied with the taste and 99% with the ease of eating. It has become one of the most famous foods representing Korea at home and abroad as it has been featured in major TV programs and soap operas. The company provides nationwide service with agents in 335 locations nationwide, including 146 in the Chungcheong region and 94 in the Yeongnam region. The company is in talks with a U.S. food trading company to sell whirlwind potatoes in supermarkets, which will soon pave the way for export. In 2021, the company began selling whirlwind potatoes to GS convenience stores. The potatoes are available on various online markets such as G Market, Coupang, 11th Avenue, Walmart, Post Office Shopping, Auction, Naver and Naver Shopping. 

 

 

'I Love Jeong Food: Opens New Market for Potatoes Through Processing Innovation' 저작물은 "공공누리 2유형 출처표시 + 상업적 이용금지" 조건에 따라 이용할 수 있습니다.