[Edaily Reporter Kyung Gye-young] Dongwon F&B is accelerating its push into the global market for protein foods—which it has identified as a new growth engine—by launching its second facility in Jincheon.

#Dongwon F&B announced on the 14th that it has completed construction of its second plant in Jincheon County, North Chungcheong Province, and has begun full-scale operations. The Jincheon Second Plant, which required an investment of 140 billion won, was built on a total floor area of 26,500 square meters (8,000 pyeong) and consists of two stories above ground.

The Second Plant will focus on producing premium fish products, such as fish cakes and surimi, with a fish meat content of 80% or higher. It has a daily production capacity of 40 tons (130,000 units) and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to improve quality competitiveness in areas such as texture and yield.

With this completion, Dongwon F&B has established “Protein Nexus,” a protein food production platform: the First Plant produces meat processing products such as the canned ham “Richam” and the chilled ham “Grilly,” while the Second Plant produces chilled foods including fish cakes and surimi, as well as home meal replacements (HMR) such as fried rice and chicken. The Protein Nexus reflects the company’s commitment to developing it into a global hub that organically integrates not only meat protein but also seafood protein, which holds significant future value.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) and other sources, the global population is projected to grow to 10 billion by 2050, with protein demand expected to surge by more than 70% compared to 2010. As there are limits to supply relying solely on meat protein, interest in seafood protein is growing. This is why Dongwon F&B has identified protein-based products as a core business for the future.

Dongwon F&B plans to utilize its second production facility as a global hub. The company will export products popular overseas, such as fish cake skewers, to markets like Japan and China, and plans to introduce its HMR product line to the U.S. and Europe. In particular, its frozen fried rice utilizes high-temperature steam to achieve a chewy texture and features Korea’s first direct-flame cooking equipment to maximize the smoky flavor. In the second half of this year, the company plans to expand its product lineup to include rice balls and pot-cooked rice dishes, as well as produce K-chicken to further boost exports.

Dongwon F&B has set a target of 300 billion won in sales and an export share of over 30% for its second facility by 2030.

A Dongwon F&B official stated, “The new facility is a key production hub designed to meet the rapidly growing global demand for protein foods,” adding, “We will expand our presence beyond the domestic market into the global market based on differentiated K-food products such as premium fish cakes, imitation crab, pot-cooked rice, and chicken.”