With more than 40 years at the top in South Korea and customers from 30 countries worldwide, Maeil Dairies continues to grow its reputation as an international dairy company sharing the future with stakeholders in the global community.

Maeil Dairies invests in quality first and this value was supplemented in 2008 with an ever sharper customer needs orientation, summed up as “The top healthy company, our customers’ partner” offering top quality products and services with the core values: Customer Oriented, Initiation & Challenge, Social Contribution, Talent Development, Confidence & Trust.

A strong corporate ethic and transparent management style are spearheading Maeil’s intention to expand its influence on social responsibility by providing customer satisfaction combined with a commitment to welfare through e.g. charity support, scholarships and promoting family well-being.

Profit with responsibility

“We believe that a company exists not simply to turn a profit but has a responsibility and indeed an obligation to bring about the satisfaction of consumers as a social entity,” explains CEO, Vice Chairman Jung Wan Kim.

“Maeil is now ready to make the leap via innovation and competitiveness to become an internationally admired company creating a bright future for all our customers, shareholders and employees.”

“Our aspiration for growth through change is underpinned by our core capacity for development through long-term planning, R&D investment in state-of-the-art facilities, and strong brand management.”

A lasting partnership

In 1998, Maeil began buying Valio DEMITM demineralised whey powder as an ingredient for its infant formula products and marketing probiotic yoghurt containing Valio Lactobacillus GG. Maeil promotes its LGG® product as “LGG® is the world’s most researched probiotic and it guarantees a healthy living to­ cus­tomers in about 40 countries around the world”.

In 2005 Maeil licensed Valio’s unique Zero Lactose™ technology to produce Korea’s first lactose free milk.

As Valio has developed new and innovative technologies and applications, Maeil has kept pace by utilising them to maintain its cutting-edge market advantage.

Lactose Free – a tremendous opportunity going forward

Research indicates that more than 80% of Koreans are lactose intolerant. While existing lactose free products that may supply milk’s valuable nutrients have an unpleasantly sweet taste, Maeil ensures the original taste and nutritional values of milk are in place by employing Valio’s patented Zero Lactose™ process.

While there is insufficient information available to Korean consumers to help them recognize lactose intolerance, Maeil continuously communicates the value of lactose free milk to its customers.

Functional foods and health claims

The Korean Health/Functional Food (HFF) Act of 2004 describes two types of HFF, namely generic and product-specific, that are permitted to carry a health claim.

The Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) reviews the standardization, safety and efficacy of a new active ingredient in order to grant its approval and subsequent registration as an HFF that can be marketed with a specific health claim. There are currently 67 categories of functional ingredient approved.

Looking West

Korean eating habits have become increasingly westernised since the 1950s to include more processed foods, while lifestyle changes have led to the growing consumption of snack and convenience products whether traditional or foreign.

More recently, the focus has shifted to healthier products amid concerns about overall mental and physical welfare. The desire to be healthy, happy and prosperous is manifested in a significant trend favouring products that promote well-being. Maeil has also changed with the times to help support health through innovative dairy products.

Supporting South Korean consumers natural instinct for healthy eating

Koreans in fact see healthy eating as an essential part of a healthy lifestyle and well-being in preventing disease and providing the body with the nutrients it needs, so consumer demand for health promoting functional foods will continue to grow and for instance the yoghurt market is becoming increasingly competitive. Mounting concerns about obesity are meanwhile driving the nascent market in reduced fat milks whose sales increased dramatically since last year.

Through its scientific research, Maeil strives to develop products suitable for lifelong health.

http://www2.maeil.com/