Demand for food waste disposers grows as more Koreans choose to dine at home

[Photo by Lee Seung-hwan]

Food waste disposals are becoming highly popular among South Koreans as they choose to dine more at home amid the high inflation and seek better ways to handle food waste.

According to data from market statistics company Danawa Research on Monday, the food waste disposal market is projected to reach more than 1 trillion won ($759 million) this year, up 66 percent from 600 billion won last year and 200 billion won in 2021.

“The growth potential is still high even if the market grows beyond 1 trillion won this year as the penetration rate of the disposal units among the households stands at a mere 5 percent,” said an unnamed industry official.

According to online retailer Gmarket Inc., sales of food waste appliances jumped 107 percent in the first quarter from a year ago.

There are three types of food waste and compost disposal units.

A wet grinding type machine collects food waste in the sink drain, grinds it up, and discharges it into the sewage pipes. A dry grinding type appliance dries the compost and then processes it. A fermentation machine cultivates microorganisms and uses those to break down the food waste.

Wet drain grinders were popular in the past but recent trends show that consumers are turning to more eco-friendly dry and fermentation disposal units.

Dry grinders account for the largest 49.3 percent of the market as of June, according to Danawa Research.

The most popular dry grinders are Smartcara 400 Pro of Smartcara Co. and Ecoce of MostX, formerly known as the business-to-consumer company Modurental.

Smartcara 400 Pro [Photo provided by Smartcara]

The Smartcara 400 Pro, released last year, reduces up to 95 percent of 2 liters of food waste. The latest Smartcara machine comes with improved grinding performance and upgraded motor power. The processing time has also been cut by about 30 percent.

One of the features also includes quiet operation, with an average noise of only 26.4 decibels, which is about the sound of a watch’s second hand. The machine only generates about 200 won in electricity bill per use.

Smartcara’s sales have increased significantly to 50 billion won from 1.5 billion won in 2015.

Ecoce, introduced by MostX in 2020, provides high-temperature drying and blowing to remove bacteria. Its millstone-type crushing structure grinds down the food waste. The four-liter capacity can dramatically reduce the frequency of food waste disposal to enable a family of three to dispose of their compost only once a month on the assumption that they use the machine six times a month.

The easy-to-replace activated filters improve user convenience, too, the company said. Ecoce’s accumulated sales have exceeded 30 billion won over the three years.

“We are preparing a new product with upgraded functions on the back of high demand for food waste appliances,” said a representative from Ecoche.

Health appliance company Hurom Co. has also released a food waste disposer last year. Hurom’s product does not have a drain but has an automatic drying system that evaporates water from food waste, which helps eliminate the bad odors.

Among fermentation types, Han Mi Flexible Co.’s Reencle Prime is popular. It uses patented microorganisms to turn food waste into a dirt-like byproduct by 97 percent or more in less than 24 hours. Its four-step deodorizing and sanitizing system ensures that the waste does not leave any unpleasant odors.