Sempio signs MOU with National Institute of Crop Science to expand use of domestic crops

Sempio signed an MOU with the Rural Development Administration's National Institute of Crop Science on Tuesday at Sempio's headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, to cooperate on research aimed at expanding the use of domestically grown food crops.

The agreement formalizes a broader cooperation framework built on prior joint research between the two organizations. Sempio developed a technology for manufacturing gochujang using rice flour in 2023, then launched "100% Korean Joseon Gochujang" in 2024 — a product made entirely from domestic ingredients including chili powder, fermented rice syrup, soybean meju and sea salt. The partnership also yielded "Seoritae Doenjang," developed using Cheongja 5, an improved native black soybean variety bred by the National Institute of Crop Science.

Building on the MOU, the two sides plan to expand research cooperation to increase the potential applications of domestic strategic crops such as rice flour and field soybeans. They will also continue research to verify the suitability of promising food crops and microorganisms proposed by the National Institute of Crop Science, with the aim of raising the value of domestically grown crops.

Sempio's R&D center, Woori Fermentation Institute, is Asia's only research facility dedicated to plant-based fermentation. It holds proprietary technologies drawing on more than 3,000 microbial strains and more than 90 related patents. Sempio invests roughly 5 percent of annual sales in research and development.

"We will continue working with the National Institute of Crop Science to enhance the value of Korean agricultural produce and ensure that research outcomes translate into actual product development," a Sempio official said.