Last winter, the item that received the most attention among local specialties was Bamssaldang’s chestnut sweet red bean bread. The chestnut sweet red bean bread introduced by Bamssaldang, a bakery in Gongju, received a high response in the online and offline markets and hit the so-called jackpot. An official from the bakery said, “While foods released based on raw materials that can represent the region are getting a high response from consumers, chestnut sweet red bean bread made with only princess chestnuts and domestic rice instead of wheat flour is not too sweet, but is substantial. It has been evaluated as the most basic gluten-free rice bread by consumers for its healthiness.” Let’s take a look at the plans of Bamssaldang, which is seeking activities to expand beyond the existing confectionery and bakery brands to the distribution sector in 2023.

Unprecedented attention, the chestnut sweet red bean bread!

The chestnut sweet red bean bread is the bestseller of Bamssaldang, with 120,000 cumulative sales since its first launch. This bread is gluten-free based on raw ingredients that can represent the Gongju region. Chef Lee Gwang-hyun takes charge of everything from selecting ingredients to completing the product, and prioritizes healthy ingredients. He said, “The chestnut sweet red bean bread, which was created after several months of research and is filled with chestnuts and red beans, is a steady seller of chestnut rice sugar. Currently, online purchase platforms are flooding with orders and gaining popularity. The bread we make is healthy rice bread that can provide nutrients. Since last winter, our chestnut sweet red bean bread is getting a good response online and we are really grateful. Our bread made with local ingredients from Gongju is popular with consumers looking for healthy food.” 

Lee also is the man who won the runner-up prize in the KBS Special Challenge Miracle in the past. He is in charge of the entire process from the initial selection of materials to the final completion of the product. In particular, he uses fresh local products in collaboration with farmers located in Gongju. He said, “It is very rewarding to stick to the form of directly processing Gongju’s representative specialties and reaching consumers for a long time. Our goal is to introduce the best fresh chestnut rice sugar products in the future. We will do our best to set a model example for local brands by expanding the scope of activities to healthy snack provision and distribution business.”

Expansion of distribution business

Bamssaldang easily adapted to the trend from the existing offline market to online shopping malls, and even achieved overseas exports during the pandemic years. As the name gradually became known online as a healthy rice bread brand, it attracted attention from buyers from abroad also. A bakery official said, “Our motto is to establish an easy processing system using an original molding and kneading method, and at the same time, complete a product lineup with a brand story and present long-lasting products with local colors. Recently, it has received good reviews for its chestnut red bean bread, and is focusing on developing a menu that can follow this.” From the second half of last year, Bamssaldang expanded its business to distribution along with the existing bakery business, and launched Honolulu Cookies and Egg & Thing Mix Powder in Korea. Lee said, “Since online sales account for more than offline sales, I became more interested in the marketability of online platforms. In addition to the bakery business, it has laid the foundation for business diversification, starting with the distribution of chestnut sugar, which has expanded its business to distribution. Because of my attachment to Hawaii, which I have often visited in the past, I brought a goal to introduce it to the market using local food. If you go to Hawaii, the must-eat foods are Honolulu Cookies and Eggs & Thing. In the case of Honolulu Cookies, it landed in the Korean market in 2004, but it was difficult to establish itself. However, thinking that using the current online trend, it would be able to generate a higher response, so it was launched exclusively online and received good reviews.” In fact, the first batch launched by Bamssaldang through Instagram has been sold out. Lee said, “We will continue to discover various MD products that others have not tried and introduce them to consumers far and wide.” 

Looking for partners to join Gongju Injeolmi Bread Project

Bamssaldang set out to find partners to collaborate in the bakery business ahead of the launch of the Gongju Injeolmi Bread Project this year. An official said, “We are trying to introduce a new project that can promote the Gongju specialties. Gongju Injeolmi is a local specialty with a long history and tradition. In particular, next year is a meaningful year as it marks the 400th anniversary of the birth of its legend. We and the city are looking for partners to make collaboration in this project.” In 1624, when King Injo stayed in Gongju to escape the rebellion of Yi Gwal, people with the surname Im gave rice cakes mixed with soybean paste to the king. The taste of this cake was so good that it was named ‘Imjeolmi’ and it has been handed down as Injeolmi to this day. 

The official said, “We plan to sell this cake on/offline. Now is the time when a product cannot be sold without a story. We aim to revitalize the region, contribute to society, and even create jobs by branding young consumers with special local products recommended by the corporate CEOs. We plan to utilize local specialties for all products that will be collaborated. Anyone who is the CEO of a company that can give strength together in the bakery business is welcome.”