Q Please introduce the SlowFoodLab.

We make homemade food with great care. I still remember the image of my grandmother, who boiled down and fried grains into taffy for her grandchildren. The devotion of the people who prepare and serve food and respect for others are preserved at SlowFoodLab.

Q Although there are many sauces, why did you choose ganjang(Korean soy sauce) to make the dessert?

Ganjang is the most common food ingredient in Korea. Although kimchi and bulgogi portray Korea’s food culture to foreigners, I wanted to tell foreign visitors how attractive ganjang is. We have developed unique recipes using ganjang, such as a salad dressing. We developed SlowFoodLab caramel because making desserts with ganjang agrees with the “sweet and salty” formula, the unwritten rule for successful desserts.

Q What did you care the most about the product?

It is the completeness of the taste. The idea of making a ganjang dessert may seem absurd to some. Some customers waved their hands in refusal. Instead of offering fun or significance, we focused on the dessert’s completeness of the taste to dispel doubts.

Q What did you gain from participating in the award?

First of all, I was happy to see the judges tasting our ganjang caramel deliciously during the judging process. I felt that my efforts were rewarded. Their various and specific advice was constructive too. When developing a product, I tend to lose objectivity and become immersed in my initial plan. I realized that I had not targeted a specific consumer group and given much thought about the distribution channel through consulting. I wanted to sell the product at convenience stores without targeting specific consumer segments. After retargeting and securing the right distribution channel, I saw the light. We are now simplifying the package design and developing a tin gift box for a new distribution channel.

Q Please tell us more about your plans.

Processed food made with national or regional specialties is the most popular shopping item when traveling abroad. Our ganjang caramel is a dessert made with Korea’s representative sauce, and I hope it will become a must-have shopping item for foreigners returning home from Korea. I wish to participate in global sourcing fairs to introduce our ganjang caramel to overseas consumers. I also wish to promote it through overseas buyers. To that end, we are working on online marketing targeting domestic and international customers