SEOUL. KOREA - What do you think was the greatest desire of the famous 18th century romantic, Casanova The prominent European socialite garnered his reputation for seducing countless women in the middle ages, but the main source of his pleasure seemed to come from something else: the oyster. Legends hold that he ate 50 oysters every night. Why was he so fond of this particular shellfish One of the reasons may be that its primary ingredients including glycogen are beneficial for health tonics, while zinc enhances the male hormone. Oysters are not loved exclusively by Casanova. European people rarely consume raw marine products, but their love for oysters is exceptional. Oysters are rich in zinc, an essential mineral capable of eliminating heavy metals that accumulate in the body. A serving of oysters is also a good source of calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and vitamin B-12.
Osole oyster – bigger and tastier
Oysters are favorite dishes amongst many Korean people. As they are particularly delectable and nutritious in the winter, Korean people love to eat them in hot soups to enhance their energy and also enjoy raw oysters wrapped in assorted vegetables to stimulate their appetite. The sea surrounding Korea is an ideal environment to produce high quality oysters. Korean tidelands – one of the world’s top five tidelands – are rich in minerals and nutrients, and thus oysters require significantly shorter time to grow compared to other parts of the world. Korea’s western seacoast is well known for its substantial tidal amplitude. The maximum tidal amplitude is about 10 meters, one of the largest in the world. This dynamic tidal exchange of water removes contaminants faster and more efficiently than any other coastal areas in the world and this allows it to maintain pristine coastal water quality.
Korea’s Osole oysters are especially popular both at home and abroad. The Osole is larger and has a more chewy texture than other oysters. Unlike previous cultured oysters in the sea, they are raised in racks 60 centimeters over the tideland. As a result, they are placed underwater during the flowing tide and are exposed to sunlight and air at low tide, the process of which keeps repeating throughout their growth cycle. This allows the Osole to naturally develop the ability to adapt to temperature changes. Enduring the unbearable high temperature of 30 degrees in summer and low temperature of 10-15 degrees below zero in winter, they store various nutrients in their bodies, which is why they are superior compared to common oysters in terms of taste, nutrition, and size.
These oysters are accustomed to fighting against the tides, clamping tightly shut during low tides to preserve their “liquor” and to protect themselves against predators. As a result of the challenges they face during their life, Osole oysters are hearty and highly resilient to diseases. They have hard, sturdy shells, deeper cups, and firmer meat than conventional oysters. Also, their ability to close tightly, coupled with their hard shells, gives them a longer shelf life. Since they also do not have to filter as much sand and mud in order to attain nutrients, they are able to grow faster.
Osole oyster is introduced in Hong Kong
Seaver, a producer of the Osole oyster, made its first foray into the Hong Kong market in 2011. Hong Kong, which is geographically close to Korea, is considered an ideal test market by a number of Korean companies when they launch new products or seek to export their popular products. They want to test the marketability of their goods within this multicultural country. At the time of introduction, Hong Kong was already importing 70 different types of oysters from around 10 countries, and the locals were particularly fond of French and American oysters. Until that point, most Hong Kong residents had no previous exposure to Korean oysters.
The CEO of Seaever recalled when they attended the AgriPro Asia Expo in 2011 in Hong Kong. “Most importers liked the taste of Osole, but when making the final decision, they hesitated, as Korean oysters were still new to them. We were about to give up finding possible importers at the time,” Jeong Seung-hoon, CEO of Seaever said. A few days later, they met one importer who gave a glowing review of the Korean oyster. This meeting occurred largely because of the continuous efforts by the Hong Kong aT center, which is a state overseas center designed to promote Korea’s agricultural exporters. The company that agreed to import the Osole was Oriole Food Company, one of the three major importers of oyster in Hong Kong, supplying oysters to 60 different restaurants and hotels.
Oriole requested sample products from Seaever and began to supply Osole to its partner restaurants and hotels for initial market testing. Soon afterwards, the Osole was recognized for its quality and taste and was successfully integrated to over 10 famous restaurants in Hong Kong. When Seaever participated in the “Hong Kong Food Expo” last August, they began to see the enhanced popularity of the Osole. “Unlike the first visit, a number of buyers showed great interest. The lineup of people requesting our samples was so large that we felt that we were inconveniencing nearby booths.” Seaever is now in direct competition with France’s oyster, long reputed to be the world’s best, in the Hong Kong market. Last year, they posted USD 600,000 in exports and expect to reach USD 1.5 million in 2013.
This year, Seaever is seeking to expand its market from catering sectors such as restaurants and hotels to B2C markets. They plan to supply the Osole to Hong Kong’s largest retailers, Parknshop and CitySuper. “We hope that more foreign consumers can enjoy Korea’s high-quality oyster. Seaever will continue to enhance our efforts to produce delicious yet inexpensive oysters for consumers in the global market.”
A series of K-food articles are provided in partnership with Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT)
Fore more related articles:
http://www.koreaittimes.com/story/27588/k-food-goes-global-suiting-local-taste
