Hyundai E&C supplies rice powder to London Bagel, Sungsimdang
Two sweet red bean rice bagels and a madeleine cake made with powdered rice produced by Hyundai E&C are displayed in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province. Courtesy of Hyundai E&C
Hyundai Engineering & Construction (E&C) signed business agreements with popular bakeries here — London Bagel Museum and Sungsimdang — to enhance the production of bakery products made with rice powder produced on reclaimed land of Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, the company said Thursday.
The construction arm of Hyundai Motor Group said it recently signed agreements with LBM, which operates London Bagel Museum, and Rosso, operator of Sungsimdang, to expand the use of rice powder produced on the reclaimed land.
Since 1979, Hyundai E&C has been implementing reclamation projects in Seosan on the west coast of Korea and promoting large-scale grain cultivation and solar power projects.
Last year, the construction company signed a business agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Seosan Bio, Wellbeing, Research Special District to establish smart bio infrastructure and activate agriculture in Korea.
Since then, the company built a large-scale smart farm to nurture young farmers and has been producing rice powder on about 330,000 square meters of farmland in the reclaimed area.
"According to this agreement, Hyundai E&C will provide five tons of rice powder annually for three years for both London Bagel Museum and Sungsimdang. Each bakery will utilize the powder in the research, development and production of bakery products," the company said.
Hyundai E&C plans to expand the cultivation area to around 661,100 square meters to increase the yield. The company said it plans to expand the rice powder market to maximize Korea's agricultural competitiveness in preparation for climate change and food security.
This is in line with the country’s policy as the government has been trying to replace wheat with rice powder, which can be used in bread or sweets.
"Through collaboration with famous domestic bakeries, we aim to increase the use of rice powder by targeting tastes across generations and cultures, from Millennials and Gen Z to the middle-aged, the elderly and foreigners," a company spokesperson said.
"We will maximize agricultural competitiveness in preparation for climate change and food security, and explore various business models to establish the Seosan reclaimed land as a forward base for future food resources."