[Edaily Reporter Han Jeon-jin] GS25, the convenience store chain operated by #GS Retail, is stepping up efforts to improve the quality of its triangular rice balls. After more than a year of research, the company is launching “Soft Triangular Rice Balls” that preserve the texture of the rice grains, accelerating its efforts to strengthen its competitiveness in the ready-to-eat food market.

GS25 announced on the 10th that it is launching ‘Soft Triangle Rice Balls’ produced using a new manufacturing process. The company focused on improving the texture of the rice—which consumers have often cited as a drawback of triangle rice balls—by addressing issues such as hardness or a sticky, dense texture.

GS25 has been pursuing a quality improvement project for triangle rice balls since March of last year. Previously, repeated compression during the process of forming the rice sheet into a triangle resulted in a hard texture. To address this, the company introduced a “shutter-type” method that allows the rice to fall naturally instead of compressing it, and reduced the pressure applied during the shaping process.

As a result, air pockets between the rice grains are maintained, creating a fluffier texture. According to the company, the compression of the rice sheet has been reduced by up to 30% compared to the previous version, and the product’s thickness has increased by 0.3–0.5 cm, improving its overall volume.

The new products consist of two varieties: “Soft Chicken Mayo” and “Soft Shrimp Mayo.” Soft Chicken Mayo contains karaage chicken, teriyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and scrambled eggs, and is priced at 1,300 won. Soft Shrimp Mayo, launching on the 17th, features whole shrimp, onions, and carrots to enhance texture, and is priced at 1,400 won.

Starting with the launch of these Soft Triangle Rice Balls, GS25 plans to expand its product renewal efforts across major convenience food categories, including boxed lunches, gimbap, sandwiches, and hamburgers.

A GS Retail official stated, “We focused on innovating the manufacturing process to improve the taste of the rice, which is the core competitive advantage of triangle rice balls,” adding, “We will continue to pursue quality improvements that customers can truly feel.”