▲ Munkyeong Omija Valley / Director Park Sung-jeong

(PowerKorea) Omija, fruit of schisandra chinensis, is originated from Korea and Manchuria. It grows in quantity in valleys where the soils are rich and moisture proper. It bears fruits like grapes in August and September and gives a mix of sweet, sour, spicy, bitter and salty taste with more sourness. It is known to be good for asthma and to clear eyes and to warm intestine.

Records of ancient books tell us that Munkyeong has been the main producer of omija and the specialty of the region. Munkyeong is mountainous and has big temperature difference which is ideal for omija to grow. In the past, omija mainly used for medicinal purpose but is used today for health functional food. 

The city was designated as an omija industry special zone in 2006. The harvest increased significantly since and it takes 40% of the whole output of omija in the nation today. The quality is well known as much as quantity and various health functional foods are made with Munkyeong omija.

“Omija has been used for medicine for thousands of years and Munkyeong is most famous for producing quality omija. Its excellence is well received overseas and it is being exported to more than 20 countries in the world” says Park Sung-jeong, Director of Munkyeong Omija Valley.

According to Dongui Bogam, a Korean medicine book, the five tastes of omija benefit our body: the sourness for liver, bitterness for heart, spiciness for lung, sweetness for stomach and saltiness for bladder. 

Recognizing its excellence, Starbucks Korea started to sell Munkyeong omija in 2016 and continued the sold out rally. The recognition spread fast to similar businesses and Munkyeong Omija Valley now is supplying raw materials to Tom N Toms and Paik Dabang. 

Park was born in Munkyeong and bought a patch of the field in 2005 and opened Munkyeong Omija Activity Village in 2006. He opened an omija processing factory in 2009 and started exporting products after three years of hard working. With omija as the flagship product, the company now sells omija-mixed apple, pear, lemon and pineapple also.

Munkyeong Omija Valley won the grand prize at the 2017 Promising Forest Products Discovery Fair followed by winning the SIAL Innovation Awards at the 2018 SIAL Middle East 2018 held in Abu Dhabi. The factory of Munkyeong Omija Valley boasts the largest scale in the industry of the nation and is HACCP and HALAL certified. 

“We use the best ingredients possible and produce top quality omija products through passionate research and development. This, I think, is the reason that consumers home and abroad buy our products despite its relatively higher prices than our competitors. All our staff members are proud of this and working hard to keep the fame” says Park.

The lately released steamed omija post biotics in particular is made with low temperature extraction for 24 hours added by fructooligosaccharide and post biotics. The pear-bellflower-omija, on the other hand, is received as good for detox and improvement of symptom of pneumonia and respiratory inflammation, while the osacho is blended with enzyme vinegar which helps diet. 

“It is our goal to grow Munkyeong Omija Valley as the number one omija brand in the world and we are determined to make our dream come true” says Park.

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