Nongshim Launches Full-Scale Operations for Vegan Brand 'Vegigarden'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] Nongshim announced on the 12th that it will officially expand its vegan food brand ‘Veggie Garden’ business.

Veggie Garden is a brand that applies plant-based meat substitute manufacturing technology independently developed by Nongshim Research Institute and Taekyung Nongsan, an affiliate of the Nongshim Group, to convenience foods. A Nongshim official explained, “Since the prototype development in 2017, we have repeatedly developed menus with vegetarian communities and chefs from famous vegetarian restaurants in Seoul and reflected consumer evaluations to improve the taste and quality completeness of the products,” adding that they focused on enabling consumers to enjoy vegan food easily and deliciously with a diverse product lineup.

Veggie Garden consists of a total of 18 products, including plant-based meat substitutes, cooked frozen foods, instant convenience foods, sauces, seasonings, and plant-based cheese. It has the widest product range in Korea, and Nongshim was the first in the country to develop plant-based cheese. Plans are underway to expand both online and offline sales channels, with entry into large supermarkets and online shopping malls confirmed in January.

The most representative products are plant-based minced meat and patties that can be used in various dishes. There are also cooked frozen foods incorporating Korean-style menus such as Tteokgalbi and Neobiani. Salad sauces and seasoning powders that add flavor to broth dishes, such as ox bone broth powder and curry sauces, are also introduced. In particular, five types of salad sauces were developed to allow consumers to enjoy according to their preferences. The plant-based cheese contains no dairy products but retains the unique taste and aroma of cheese.

Nongshim is focusing on the global interest and market growth of alternative meat and expects the vegan brand to grow. Especially last year, due to COVID-19, global interest in healthy and safe food increased, and eco-friendly vegetarianism has established itself as a culture. The U.S. market research firm CFRA projected that the global alternative meat market, which was about 22 trillion won in 2018, will grow to 116 trillion won by 2030.

Amid fierce competition among domestic and international companies to secure market dominance, Nongshim plans to differentiate itself with its independently developed HMMA (High Moisture Meat Analogue) manufacturing technology. This is the most advanced manufacturing technology among existing alternative meat technologies, replicating not only the taste and texture similar to real meat but also the unique meat juices.

A Nongshim official said, “We will complete a total of 27 product lineups by adding 9 more products in February,” and added, “We hope you start an easy and convenient vegetarian daily life with Veggie Garden.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.