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Busan Metropolitan City to Hold Menu Evaluation for Gourmet Content Developed with the Regional Specialty Rice “Hwanggeum Yechan”

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The Busan Agricultural Technology Center announced that it will hold a “Menu Evaluation and Brand Promotion Event for Gourmet Content Developed with the Regional Specialty Rice ‘Hwanggeum Yechan’” at 11:00 a.m. on August 4 at Chef Gon Restaurant in Jung-gu.

The event has been organized to develop a variety of gourmet content using “Hwanggeum Yechan,” a regional specialty rice of Busan, and to increase the added value of local agricultural products through brand storytelling that incorporates the stories of local farmers and the region.

“Hwanggeum Yechan” is a regional specialty variety jointly identified and cultivated by the National Institute of Crop Science and the Busan Agricultural Technology Center since 2023 with the goal of developing a signature rice brand for Busan. As a high-quality variety well suited to local growing conditions, it has established a foundation for contract farming and supply to school meal programs. This year, its applications will be expanded to the restaurant and dessert sectors to broaden the consumer market and strengthen brand competitiveness.

In particular, producers, research institutions, rural development agencies, and restaurants will participate together to lay the foundation for developing a signature local gourmet brand of Busan that consumers can experience firsthand and connect with.

Approximately 20 representatives from related organizations, restaurant and distribution experts, producers, consumers, and public relations personnel will attend the event to share information on the varietal characteristics of “Hwanggeum Yechan” and the newly developed menu items, as well as exchange a wide range of opinions.

The event will include an introduction to the characteristics of the Hwanggeum Yechan variety and the progress of the project, presentations on gourmet content and brand storytelling, tasting and evaluation of the developed menu items, discussions on commercialization and the operation of pop-up stores, brand promotion, and the collection of consumer feedback.

A total of six menu items will be evaluated, including a salad and flavored rice designed to highlight the excellent taste and texture of “Hwanggeum Yechan,” a traditional alcoholic beverage made with the rice, and two types of ice cream featuring its rich, nutty flavor.

Participants will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the developed menu items, assessing their taste, aroma, texture, marketability, reflection of the variety’s characteristics, overall menu composition, consumer appeal, and potential for commercialization.

The Center plans to refine the menu items based on the evaluation results and develop standardized recipes. It will also create product names, packaging designs, and promotional content, with the aim of distributing the products to restaurants and pursuing commercialization.

In addition, the Center will develop brand storytelling that connects local producers with the agricultural environment of the Gangseo area of Busan. It will also produce a range of promotional materials, including photographs, videos, and card-style news content, to increase brand awareness of “Hwanggeum Yechan.”

Beginning with this menu evaluation, the Center will gradually implement pop-up stores, consumer tasting events, and collaborations with restaurants to expand new consumer markets for the regional specialty rice and develop it into a signature gourmet brand representing Busan.

Park Mi-jin, Director of the Busan Agricultural Technology Center, said, “Hwanggeum Yechan is Busan’s signature regional specialty rice, developed jointly by the National Institute of Crop Science, the Busan Agricultural Technology Center, and local farmers since 2023.”

She added, “We will use this evaluation as an opportunity to develop Hwanggeum Yechan beyond a basic rice ingredient into a signature local gourmet brand of Busan that combines culinary content with brand storytelling. We will continue working with producers, research institutions, and restaurants to establish it as a beloved regional rice brand among consumers.”