Miracle Project to Promote Rice Consumption for Young Generation

Miracle Project to Promote Rice Consumption for Young Generation

Published: 2015.08.17
Accepted: 2015.08.17
61
Professor
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, College of Agricultural and Life Science, Seoul National University

On July 20, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) announced that it is working on a project called ‘Mi (meaning ‘rice’ in Chinese Character)racle Project’ as a part of the project to increase rice consumption.

MAFRA with famous chefs developed 7 types of desserts made from rice for younger generations who prefer desserts to rice as staple foods as a part of the ‘Miracle Project.’ Chef Kim Ho-yoon, Louis Kang, and Lee Won-il participated in the Miracle Project to develop rice desserts including rice bingsu, crêpe, and pie. The recipes of the developed desserts are available at www.rice-museum.com and social network services and culinary magazines.

MAFRA expects a new impression of rice for younger generations and increased consumption of rice through promotion with food and beverage entities and development of rice desserts, which are delicious and easy to make. The selected desserts will be available at ‘Sulbing,’ a Korean dessert café. MAFRA and Sulbing plan to sign a Memorandum of Understanding and enhance cooperation in order to implement the Miracle Project and promote rice consumption.

‘Miracle Project’ is designed to create a new and friendly image of rice for the younger generation who prefer desserts including cakes and ice flakes with rice amid the decreased consumption of rice. Actually the Miracle Project is in its 2nd round after the 1st one in 2011 under the slogan ‘Add delicious miracle onto rice.’ This suggests that the ministry hopes to transfer rice, which used to be regarded as a mere staple food, to have a connection with delicious desserts. Through the initial project in 2011, ‘rice cream’ at Gorilla in the Kitchen (a restaurant) and ‘nurungji (scorched rice) latte’ at the CJ cafeteria were introduced. The Miracle Project focuses on infinite changes of rice and has developed seven types of desserts. In particular, those desserts have combined the favorite tastes of young generation.

Three Korean famous Chefs, Kim Ho-yoon, Louis Kang, and Lee Won-il participated in the Miracle Project to develop rice desserts. They commented that those desserts gained some popularity among audience members in their 20s and 30s by culinary TV programs. They also wish that this could have a positive influence on expansion of rice consumption.

MAFRA plans to have these recipes on a menu, which anyone can try. Also, the chefs of the Miracle Project will pick one dessert each and consumers will try those three desserts at a free sampling event, sponsored by Sulbing. The popular menu items from the event will be available in Sulbing. The Miracle Project chefs will be on air to show the whole process of rice being transferred into interesting desserts and host another free sampling event for the three selected menu items at Sulbing between August 7th and 8th. Consumers can apply for free vouchers for sampling on the Facebook page of the Rice Museum and its blog. There will be 100 couples (2 tickets for 1 applicant) who will be drawn and given free vouchers for tasting.

Government expects that this project will promote the development of various types of menu and products of rice desserts in relation to famous chefs and franchised food and beverage entities.

 

Date submitted: Aug. 17, 2015

Reviewed, edited and uploaded: Aug. 17, 2015

 

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