Nongshim to Open Korea's First Vegan Restaurant in the Food Industry

Appearance of Nongshim Veggie Garden alternative meat product.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Nongshim is set to operate a vegan restaurant that serves only food made from 100% plant-based ingredients, becoming the first in the domestic food industry to do so.

On the 15th, Nongshim announced that it plans to open the "Veggie Garden Restaurant," named after its alternative meat brand, at Lotte World Mall in Jamsil in April next year.

At Veggie Garden Restaurant, Nongshim will showcase menus developed in collaboration with professional chefs, utilizing the expertise accumulated from producing Veggie Garden products. Veggie Garden alternative meat is characterized by its proprietary HMMA (High Moisture Meat Analog) manufacturing technology, which replicates the taste and texture similar to real meat, including the unique juiciness of meat.

Veggie Garden boasts the widest range of products among domestic vegan brands, including alternative meat, frozen prepared foods, instant convenience meals, sauces, seasonings, and cheese. Nongshim plans to introduce about 20 new menu items developed using these products, including appetizers, platters, burgers, steaks, pasta, side dishes, and desserts. Signature dishes include five items: "Cheese Fondue Platter," "Rigatoni Ragu," "Eggplant Lasagna," "Mexican Taco Wrap," and "Double Cheese Avocado Burger."

A Nongshim representative explained, "While existing vegan restaurants operated by individuals faced limitations in ingredient supply and new menu development, Veggie Garden Restaurant can properly offer a wider variety of menus because Nongshim directly produces everything from raw materials to cooking."

The reason Nongshim is venturing into vegan restaurants is due to the growing consumer interest in eco-friendly and value-based consumption. Recently, vegan food has been gaining attention as an eco-friendly food because it can reduce greenhouse gases generated during meat production and consumption.

The vegetarian population is steadily increasing. According to the Korea Vegetarian Vegan Association, the domestic vegetarian population surged from 150,000 in 2008 to 2.5 million this year. Along with this, the number of flexitarians, who occasionally practice vegetarianism, is also increasing, and the domestic alternative meat market size is expected to reach 15.5 billion KRW this year, growing approximately 35% compared to the previous year.

The outlook for the vegan food industry is also bright. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, the global alternative meat market size grew from 4.24 trillion KRW in 2015 to 6.19 trillion KRW this year and is expected to reach 7 trillion KRW in 2023. The Korea International Trade Association’s Institute for International Trade and Commerce forecasts that alternative meat will account for 30% of the global meat market by 2030 and more than 60% by 2040, surpassing the existing meat market size.

A Nongshim representative said, "We expect consumer interest in vegan restaurants to grow along with the expansion of the vegan market," adding, "Veggie Garden Restaurant will continuously offer delicious and high-quality menus to provide consumers with a differentiated taste and experience of vegan food."

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