[Edaily Reporter Kim Ji-woo ] “Our company is the top brand in instant rice, yet my own child is actually eating rice made in Japan.”

This was a comment made by an employee of CJ CheilJedang Corp(097950)during a meeting with management in 2009. The employee had a child suffering from phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare congenital disorder. PKU is a condition in which the body cannot properly break down phenylalanine, an amino acid that makes up proteins. Excessive accumulation of phenylalanine in the body can damage brain function, so patients require strict dietary management for life.

Since rice also contains protein, patients must eat rice with reduced protein content instead of regular rice. However, at the time, there were no low-protein instant rice products available in Korea for patients to eat, so they had to purchase expensive Japanese products. While the price was a burden, the parents’ greatest concern was that the rice would become mushy or hard, making it difficult for their child to eat.

This employee’s suggestion led to the development of a new product. CJ CheilJedang Corp. invested approximately 800 million won to establish proprietary manufacturing technology and production facilities. After seven months of repeated research and testing by staff at the research lab and factory, “Haetban Low-Protein Rice” was launched in October of that year.

One-tenth the protein, same great taste

According to CJ CheilJedang Corp on the 25th, cumulative production of “Haetban Low-Protein Rice” has approached 3 million units since its launch. Although it takes longer to produce and has higher manufacturing costs than regular Haetban, the company has continued production for 18 years because it is an essential food for patients with rare diseases.

The company’s top priority during product development was to reduce the protein content while maintaining a taste and texture similar to regular rice. The research team developed a specialized protein-degrading technology and manufacturing process, and after numerous trials, succeeded in reducing the protein content to one-tenth that of regular Haetban.

The production process is also complex. The special process for breaking down proteins after rice milling alone takes about 24 hours, making the total production time more than 10 times longer than that of regular Hwatan. Since additional processes and separate production facilities are required, the manufacturing cost is more than double that of regular Hwatan.

There are about 200 patients in South Korea with congenital metabolic disorders who require a low-protein diet. Despite this, CJ CheilJedang Corp has continued production, prioritizing the creation of rice that patients can eat with peace of mind over profitability.

In addition, the company continues to provide support for patients and their families. Since 2010, it has provided products and donations annually to camps for children with PKU and their families.

Meals Needed Even in Adulthood… Expanding the Purchase Support System

This year, the company also established a supply system for

adult

patients. Previously, patients aged 19 and older often struggled to obtain a stable supply of the product and had to rely on direct overseas purchases or online resellers. Some patients had to buy Japanese products for 5,000 won each or purchase products traded online for 13,000 won.

In response, CJ CheilJedang Corp., in collaboration with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Korea Federation of Rare and Intractable Diseases, has been operating a purchase support system for adult patients since last July. Patients can purchase the product for 1,700 won per unit through quarterly pre-orders and receive up to 1,248 units annually via regular delivery.

A CJ CheilJedang Corp spokesperson said, “We are exploring ways to expand our collaborative framework to ensure a stable supply of low-protein rice not only to patients in Korea but also to Korean nationals living abroad and patients with rare diseases worldwide.”