FOODWARE Spreads the Charm of Korean Dumplings to the World

By Daniel de Bomford

Food and culture are deeply entwined with one another, dishes offer a window into something familiar to some and something foreign to others. Mandu, a Korean dumpling, either pan fried or served in a soup, bridges the gap between our senses and Korean culture. This versatile delicacy, once enjoyed by royalty, is now commonly enjoyed in company and with family—bringing people closer to one another.

FOODWARE focuses solely on mandu, bringing it to consumers across the world and distinguishing it from other types of dumplings, such as gyoza. CEO Dong Sick Shin explains, “Mandu is generally larger and more filling, positioning it as a wholesome, healthy meal rather than just a side dish.” FOODWARE approaches mandu by intentionally crafting products with a balanced flavor to appeal to international consumers.

The unique taste of Korean dumplings

FOODWARE has a variety of different products and strategies to meet the unique tastes and experiences of people around the world. In Southeast Asia, dumplings like mandu are already commonplace, thus differentiating themselves from the competition with halal certification. Europeans are less familiar with this type of cuisine but are particularly interested in plant-based and healthy options.

Pork-based mandu is a Southeast Asian favorite, but FOODWARE has expanded its product line to include halal and plant-based cuisine due to overwhelming demand. In the U.S. and Europe, it has found success with healthy options, with dishes that emphasize vegetables, mushrooms, japchae (stir-fried glass noodles with vegetables) and kimchi, popular ingredients such as bulgogi and shrimp, as well as gluten-free and kosher. As its R&D efforts have matured it has begun to release new flavors, focusing on “glocalized” tastes and preferences of different regions.

DamduOne Kimchi, and vegetable flavors

Benefitting from a rise in K-culture and the presence of Korean restaurants abroad, FOODWARE has formed strong partnerships with companies such as CJ and Dongwon F&B. Shin says it was approached because of the exceptional quality FOODWARE provides, which is evident as it was one of the first companies in its industry to be certified by HACCP, ISO, and the European FSC 22000. It is the only mandu manufacturer in Korea to have global vegan and gluten-free certification. Factories are FDA certified in the U.S. and also certified to export meat mandu to Japan and Europe.

Providing quality certified Korean mandu

Recently, FOODWARE has moved beyond B2B and expanded into B2C through its launch of its Heymeal brand exclusively as premium brand in South Korea. Alongside DamduOne which sells directly to local markets through global partners in Europe, North and South America, and Middle East. It continues to craft new products, such as 100 percent plant-based vegan mandu and gluten-free mandu while expanding globally.

CEO Dong Sick Shin

FOODWARE plans to expand its contact points with consumers through direct communication channels with customers. CEO Dong Sick Shin, who has lived a life of dumplings for 30 years, says, “FOODWARE promises to be the mandu pioneer, becoming the global number one company and elevating the taste of Korean mandu for consumers around the world.”

Korea's Leading Dumpling Specialist

For more details, explore the website at: https://www.foodware.co.kr/

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