The desire to age well continues in 2025, the Year of Eulsa. The concept of "slow aging" (aging slowly), which embodies the wish to age gracefully and healthily at a slower pace, is identified as the key keyword that will open consumers' wallets this year. Slow aging is a health management method that slows the aging process through a healthy diet, sufficient sleep, and regular exercise.
In this regard, food companies have recently focused on recruiting Jeong Hee-won, a 41-year-old professor of gerontology at Asan Medical Center in Seoul. Professor Jeong is a driving force behind the slow aging trend, sharing knowledge on slow aging through his writings and personal YouTube channel, including diets and habits for aging slowly.
According to the industry on the 21st, agile food companies have already begun collaborating with Professor Jeong in various ways. Convenience store Seven Eleven developed slow aging ready-to-eat meals with Professor Jeong. They utilized nutritious lentils, oats, and brown rice, which are beneficial for preventing metabolic diseases and lifestyle-related illnesses, and the main ingredients included chicken breast and various vegetables. They launched five varieties for consumers to choose from according to their tastes. This is known as the "convenience store ready meal national health promotion project." The retail industry expects it will be effective in dispelling the stereotype that eating at convenience stores cannot contribute to good health.
CJ CheilJedang launched "HepBap Lentil Brown Rice+" and "HepBap Faro Whole Grain Rice+" in November last year, utilizing Professor Jeong's recipes. Considering that white rice is unhealthy, consumer response to these mixed grain rice options has been positive. Within just two months of its launch, cumulative sales surpassed 1.2 billion won, with cumulative sales volume exceeding 420,000 units.
Maeil Dairies' Maeil Soy Milk benefited significantly from a video in which Professor Jeong featured his usual breakfast on his YouTube channel. The breakfast combination, which he curated from menu items in the staff cafeteria, included cabbage, two steamed eggs, two packs of soy milk, and espresso.
A representative from Maeil Dairies noted, "The soy milk featured in that video was Maeil Soy Milk, and thanks to it, sales jumped drastically, highlighting the considerable interest in slow aging." According to Maeil Dairies, following the release of Professor Jeong's video, sales of the Maeil Soy Milk high-protein line increased by 200% compared to previous figures. The high-protein Maeil Soy Milk made from black beans, launched in June last year, outperformed its expected sales by about three times.
The food industry is paying attention to the slow aging keyword because it believes it can appeal to people of all ages. It is estimated that at least 20% of the population is interested in slow aging. The proportion of the population aged 65 and older in South Korea has already exceeded 20%. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as of December last year, the registered population aged 65 and older was 10,244,550, accounting for 20% of the total registered population.
Moreover, they belong to an age group that falls within the top 1% of net worth in South Korea. According to the '2022 South Korea Top 1% Report' published by NH Investment & Securities, 34.6% of the wealthy in South Korea fall within their 60s, followed by those in their 50s at 25.3% and in their 70s at 21.4%.
While it might seem that only the elderly are concerned about aging, the younger demographics are equally interested. The "anti-aging" craze is a prime example. According to Olive Young, the purchasing amount of anti-aging cosmetics among those in their 20s and 30s increased by approximately 85% compared to the previous year in 2021. This marked the largest increase across all age groups. A representative from the food industry stated, "Attempts to slow aging start in the 20s and 30s, and the continuous search for healthy food options means that related categories will inevitably strengthen."
The slow aging diet proposed by Professor Jeong limits the intake of refined grains and simple sugars while focusing on ingredients with a low glycemic index (GI), such as mixed grains, vegetables, and proteins. As more people prefer to enjoy the slow aging diet deliciously and conveniently, the strategies for introducing new products in the retail industry are also changing. The series of slow aging diet products that food and retail companies will launch this year is highly anticipated.