"Freshly Cooked Rice Taste Without Heating"... Seven Eleven's 'Rice Revolution'

Next Month Marks the Launch of Second-Generation All New Triangle Kimbap

A Yearlong 'Rice Project' with the Licensor

Sticky Rice and Crispy Seaweed Maintained Even When Refrigerated

On March 24, Seven Eleven announced that it will introduce a second-generation ready-to-eat triangle kimbap that allows consumers to enjoy the taste of freshly cooked rice without heating it in a microwave.

Starting April 7, the company plans to launch 10 varieties of the "All New Triangle Kimbap," which incorporates its "Rice Project" technology. The Rice Project is a technology that fundamentally innovates rice quality, developed through about a year of research and development by a joint "Team MD" formed by Seven Eleven, its licensor Seven Eleven International, domestic partner Lotte Wellfood, and Lotte Central Research Institute. The main feature is its development of "refrigerated rice aging prevention and moisture retention technology," which makes it possible to enjoy both the crispy seaweed flavor and the moist, sticky texture of rice even in a refrigerated state.

The All-New Triangle Gimbap developed by Seven Eleven, allowing you to enjoy the crispy seaweed flavor and the stickiness of the rice even when refrigerated. Provided by Seven Eleven

Currently, convenience store food in Korea is managed using a cold chain system from production to display and sales. With conventional triangle kimbap, if consumed without microwaving, the seaweed remains crispy but the rice grains become hard and separate easily. In contrast, microwaving makes the rice sticky but causes the seaweed to lose its crispiness and become soggy.

With the new technology, the rice grains are processed to retain moisture even when refrigerated, and the protein bonding inside the rice is strengthened to achieve a chewy texture. According to the company, after applying this cooking technology and expertise, analysis of the rice's degree of change over time (hardness over time) showed a 5% increase in moisture and an approximately 10% improvement in texture after 48 hours of refrigeration compared to conventional products. In addition, optimal combinations of ingredients, sauce quantities, and water ratios for cooking the rice were developed for each product, and a new mayonnaise with a richer and more savory flavor was created to enhance the taste of the toppings.

Seven Eleven plans to gradually expand the application of Rice Project technology to other ready-to-eat meals such as gimbap and sushi. From April 8 to April 28, a "New Product Half-Price Experience Event" will be held through the application, where customers can purchase the All New Triangle Kimbap for 650 won—half the regular price—when picked up in-store on the day.

Kim Heungsik, Head of Product Division 1 at Seven Eleven, stated, "As the brand that launched and popularized triangle kimbap in Korean convenience stores, Seven Eleven now aims to set a new standard for triangle kimbap through fundamental innovation in rice quality. The Rice Project is not just a simple product renewal, but a case of major food innovation combining strategic cooperation with Seven Eleven International and domestic research capabilities. Going forward, we will expand this technology across the ready-to-eat meal category to further strengthen the competitiveness of convenience store food."

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