The Seoul Metropolitan Government has teamed up with CU, Korea’s largest convenience store chain, to introduce a new range of low-sugar, high-protein packaged meals aimed at making healthier food options more affordable and easier to find, city officials said earlier this week.

The five products, sold under the “Seoul My Soul Healthy Convenience Foods” brand, include a bento-style boxed lunch, a rolled gimbap — seaweed-wrapped rice rolls filled with vegetables and other ingredients — two triangle-shaped rice balls known as “samgak-gimbap,” and a chicken sandwich.

“This collaboration was designed to help residents easily and affordably embrace healthy living in their daily routines,” said Kim Hyoung-rae, director-general of the city’s public communications bureau. “We will continue working with private companies to introduce products and content that showcase the value and appeal of Seoul.”

The boxed lunch, rolled gimbap, tuna-mayonnaise rice ball and sandwich went on sale Tuesday, while a bulgogi-flavored rice ball was released Wednesday. All five items will be sold at CU stores throughout the greater Seoul metropolitan area.

According to city officials, the project was developed in response to rising consumer interest in low-sugar, high-protein diets. Such products can remain difficult for budget-conscious consumers to access because of higher retail prices and inconsistent availability. By placing the line in convenience stores rather than limiting it to specialty outlets, the city is tying its public-health messaging to a retail format many residents already use for quick meals.

The recipes replace some conventional ingredients with chickpea rice, chicken breast, water-packed tuna and low-fat mayonnaise. The changes are intended to reduce sugar and overall fat content while increasing protein levels.

The boxed lunch combines chickpea rice with chicken breast in barbecue sauce and grilled soy tofu. The rolled gimbap uses chicken breast marinated in a low-sugar soy-garlic sauce. The bulgogi rice ball pairs marinated beef with low-sugar “gochujang,” or Korean red chili paste, while the tuna rice ball is made with water-packed tuna and low-fat mayonnaise. The chicken sandwich includes sliced breast meat and coleslaw.

Packaging for the product line features Soul Friends, Seoul’s official mascot characters, shown picnicking along the Han River, the waterway running through central Seoul, with major city landmarks in the background.

Customers can use Pocket CU, the convenience store chain’s mobile application, to check product availability at stores and reserve items for local pickup, the city said. That feature could be especially relevant for limited packaged-meal items, where availability can vary by store and time of day.

The launch follows other municipal food collaborations intended to promote Seoul’s city brand. Seoul Ramen and Seoul Jjajang, instant noodle products introduced in February 2024, have sold more than 1.66 million packages in 19 countries, according to city data.

Seoul Bread, a reduced-sugar pastry launched in late April, has sold more than 80,000 units. Seoul Rice Chips, a snack introduced in late May, has sold more than 7,000 units.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.