CU releases two cup ramyeon products with PHA coating

[Courtesy of CU]

South Korea’s convenience store chain CU, run by BGF Retail Co., announced Tuesday that it has released two cup ramyeon products that feature a biodegradable PLA coating in collaboration with CJ CheilJedang Corp.

PHA is a polymer substance produced by microorganisms consuming plant-derived ingredients and is gaining attention as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics due to the ease with which it decomposes in natural environments such as soil and oceans.

CJ CheilJedang developed the world’s first paper coating technology that combines PHA with PLA in November 2023, an industrial biodegradable material, making it resistant to breakages and suitable for hot foods.

CU explained that it has been collaborating with CJ CheilJedang for months to apply this coating technology to the inside of cup ramyeon containers, introducing two varieties – New Today’s Spicy Chicken Soup and Spicy Chicken Stew Ramyeon – as the first of its kind in Korea.

“As cup ramyeons account for 80 percent of ramyeon sales at convenience stores, using biodegradable containers will significantly contribute to reducing plastic consumption,” a CU official said.

CU has consistently expanded its eco-friendly initiatives, focusing on its own brand products.

It has transitioned the cups and lids of its in-house instant coffee brand ‘Get Coffee’ to paper materials and applied biodegradable materials to packaging for non-heated convenience foods like kimbap.

Despite the country’s Ministry of Environment’s policy to retract regulations on disposable items at the end of 2023, CU decided to continue using paper straws, regardless of the ministry’s decision.