South Korea’s Harim releases protein-focused RTH products and snacks to ride 'healthy pleasure' trend
A leading agri-food company in the country, Harim Group’s operations span animal breeding, feed milling, food processing, and more.
Harim is one of the firm’s hero brands that is best known for its poultry products.
In response to the trend of “healthy pleasure” in Korea, whereby consumers are seeking a balance between healthy eating and enjoyment, the brand has launched a new range of ready-to-heat chicken breast products with different seasonings called “Harim e-chicken”.
“The product allows people to enjoy high-protein and well-seasoned chicken breast, targeting the recent trend of healthy foods that do not compromise on taste, especially spicy flavours. This summer, we hope consumers can manage their diet in a healthy and enjoyable way,” the firm said.
The products come in three flavours that are said to embody the taste of “Korean soul food”, namely Spicy Tteokbokki (rice cake), Yangnyeom (sweet and spicy) Chicken, and Galbi (marinated rib).
During the production process, domestically produced chicken breast is coated twice with sauce and aged for 12 hours to create a soft and moist texture, and to ensure that the seasoning penetrates deep into the meat.
Each product (110g) contains over 20g of protein. After heating in the microwave for about one minute, it can be eaten on its own or added to salads and sandwiches.
At the same time, Harim has pushed out another protein-focused product named “Oh! Neul (Today) Protein Cookies” in line with the healthy pleasure trend.
“Recently, the food industry has seen the introduction of various ‘low-in’ products with reduced content of flour, sugar, etc. Oh! Neul Protein Cookies is a gluten-free product made with domestic rice flour instead of wheat flour.
“Besides maintaining the sweet taste and crispy cookie texture, nutritional balance is achieved through isolated chicken breast protein (ICBP), milk protein, soy protein, and dietary fibre. In particular, ICBP has half the fat and more than four times the protein content of raw chicken breast, so you can replenish protein while eating snacks.”
Each 40g packet comprises 9g of protein and dietary fibre (4.3g) equivalent to that of an apple.
The cookies are available in two variations — butter coconut and chocolate, with the former combining the fragrance of coconut and flavour of butter, and the latter claiming to offer a rich, bittersweet taste.
“Through the launch of a protein product in the form of cookies, we provide more diverse options to people who need to consume or supplement protein on a daily basis. It also goes well with milk or coffee, so we expect it to receive a lot of love [from consumers].”
Convenience for campers
Ever since the pandemic, camping has become a popular hobby among South Koreans, with data from Korea Tourism Association indicating that the number of campsite operators nearly tripled between 2019 and September 2023.
As the camping market is expected to continue growing, there has also been an increasing number of products targeting this group of consumers.
Harim’s line-up consists of products catering to “foodies who want to eat well at campsites”, which can be cooked easily outdoors.
“Summer weather is perfect for outdoor activities, and many people enjoy camping outside the city to soak in nature. We have carefully selected products that make great dishes just by heating or that can be easily cooked at a campsite or travel destination.”
For example, its Whole Chicken Grilled Over Direct Fire and Whole Chicken Leg Grilled Over Direct Fire can be warmed by placing in boiling water with the packaging, or opened up and cooked on a pan.
The Chuncheon-style Boneless Chicken Rib is seasoned with a spicy sauce that allows consumers to enjoy the region’s famous dish without visiting it. The flavour is said to come out even better when grilled over charcoal or with an open flame.
In addition, Nuclear Spicy Chicken Noodle and Spicy Chicken Noodle are meal kits comprising domestically produced chicken thigh meat, sari noodles (plain ramen noodles with a chewy and soft texture), and buldak sauce (a marinade paste made from condiments including ground red chilli pepper and red chilli paste).
“Spicy Chicken Noodle has a spicy level of 1 with a sweet and spicy taste, while Nuclear Spicy Chicken Noodle is at spicy level 3 and has a fiery taste. These meal kits contain all the ingredients needed for cooking, so consumers can conveniently enjoy them outdoors.”
