This time, it’s mold. There have been multiple posts on online communities stating that mold was found in products sold by the low-cost coffee brand Paik Coffee, led by Paik Jong-won.
On the 20th, several online communities are reporting posts stating that mold has been found in desserts sold at Paik Coffee. On the 17th, a post titled "Beware of Paik Coffee Gaba Rice Cake" appeared in the anonymous college student community "Everytime."
The author, identified as A, wrote, "I ordered Gaba Rice Cake through delivery from Paik Coffee located in XX district in Seoul today, and when I received it, there was mold on it." He added, "I called the store, and they said it was kept frozen, but this is the first time I’ve encountered something like this while frequently ordering delivery," and urged, "Please be cautious when ordering this menu item."
The attached photo shows that the product, which is hard and frozen, has what appears to be moldy foreign substances on various parts.
This is not the first time hygiene issues regarding this product have been raised. On the 3rd, a similar post had appeared. The author, identified as B, stated, "While trying to order a cup of coffee, I also ordered a dessert called Gaba Rice Cake, and it arrived in its packaged state with an expiration date until September, so I took a bite and bam, there was mold right next to it," and shared a photo.
The author appears to have taken a bite, and there is what appears to be moldy foreign substance in the middle of the filling. B noted, "Theborn said it was the manufacturer's fault," adding, "The manufacturer is asking for a settlement of 100,000 won on the grounds of moral responsibility; is that the right thing to do?"
Paik Jong-won and Theborn Korea have been mired in controversies since the quality issue of "Paik Ham" was raised at the end of January, including allegations of violations of the Agricultural Land Act, false labeling of product origins, accusations of maintaining employee blacklist, hygiene controversies related to pesticide sprayers, interview scandals during drink meetings, and allegations of broadcasting power abuse.
Theborn Korea stated, "The problematic products are received in a frozen finished goods state at the stores, and the franchises operate by only thawing the required quantities for sale," adding, "As a result of checking the stores, there were no issues with the expiration dates and freshness periods of the products in question."
"Thus, we are currently conducting a detailed inspection of the supply and distribution processes of the manufacturer and will take necessary actions such as reviewing a complete recall based on the results," they added.