K-food has been at the forefront of the Korean Wave, with exports of rice processed foods such as kimbap and tteokbokki, the signature items of K-food, increasing by 45.6 percent year-on-year. The popularity of K-food was also evident at the SUMMER FANCY FOOD SHOW 2024 in New York, the largest food expo in North America, where a variety of Korean healthy foods that fit the recent food trend of ※healthy treasure§ attracted a lot of attention. In particular, kimbap with various vegetables was the center of attention as a representative healthy food. As kimbap has gained a lot of attention overseas, there is a growing movement to make and sell kimbap locally instead of frozen kimbap, and a small business that produces automatic kimbap machines has recently received explosive interest. And the company is Lucky Engineering.

Make all kinds of kimbap in 30 seconds!

Lucky Engineering was founded in 1992 and has been producing top quality kimbap, sushi, and packaging machines and rice portioning machines for over 30 years. Lucky Engineering is the only company in South Korea that produces kimbap and sushi machines, and its quality and functionality are superior to Japanese ones. The most popular of these is the LCR-700, a high-end kimbap/California roll machine. It’s important to spread the rice evenly over the nori and roll the nori with just the right amount of pressure to fit the filling without popping it. In particular, the rice grains, which are the main ingredient, should remain firm and unbroken during the rolling process. However, in the case of mass-produced kimbap using machines, the rice grains are often broken, which is the main reason why mass-produced kimbap sold in convenience stores is much lower in quality than kimbap sold in restaurants. Lucky Engineering’s gimbap machine is equipped with a feature that allows you to adjust the steaming pressure to suit the filling of your gimbap, while spreading the rice over the nori in a chewy, even layer without breaking the grains. The LCD screen allows you to set up 9 different kimbap recipes, so even if you’re a beginner, you can easily make all the kimbap you want. As a result, its use has increased rapidly in overseas countries that do not have much know-how in making kimbap, and its export volume has exploded. “With this machine, we can simultaneously produce gimbap and California rolls of any thickness, and the rolling strength can be adjusted according to the type and nature of the filling (hard or soft). Even gimbap with many fillings such as fried foods, meat, seafood, etc. can be rolled perfectly, and the thickness, length, and compression density of the rice sheet can be adjusted to the user’s liking, and the production speed is very fast. Normally, it takes about a minute for a human to make a roll, but with our product, it only takes 20-30 seconds. We can produce all kinds of gimbap and rolls, such as original gimbap, tuna gimbap, small gimbap, nude gimbap, egg gimbap, zidane gimbap, futomaki, etc” says Lucky Engineering CEO Chilheon Kim. 

Save labor cost, increase productivity!

Lucky Engineering’s kimbap machine can produce the highest quality kimbap with any ingredients, saving labor costs while increasing production efficiency and quality. The company recently launched a machine that can cut kimbap cleanly without bursting, giving kimbap automation even more momentum. The machine is currently attracting a lot of attention both in Korea and overseas, as it is a kimbap/roll cutting machine that has never been seen anywhere else in the world. It not only cuts perfectly regardless of the size and material of the kimbap, but also has an adjustable number of equal parts, and it is also very hygienic as it is very easy to clean. “This machine is designed with safety in mind, so there’s no need to worry about accidents” says Kim. The machine is currently certified by the U.S. ETL and MET (UL) for international health and hygiene in the United States, and products are exported to Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

Automatic sushi packaging machine

Another signature product of Lucky Engineering is the sushi machine. The LSR-370 is a fully automated system that operates from measuring rice grains to molding and discharging wasabi, and is equipped with the world’s best technology. It is designed in a way that produces the same effect as crushing rice grains by hand, so it perfectly maintains the original shape of each grain of rice, and allows air to flow between the grains to enhance the texture (utility patent). In addition, the amount of raw wasabi can be adjusted on the color LCD screen to precisely dispense it on top of the rice grains, ensuring a consistent taste every time. In addition, since it is customized to the temperature of human hands, it produces the same effect as human-made rice, and the compressive strength and density of rice can be adjusted, and the rice input can be reduced to improve the speed and efficiency of work. The company also recently launched a self-aligning product, which automatically transfers and arranges sushi nigiri formed on high-end sushi machines onto trays. It can automatically align and arrange not only bento containers but also sushi buffet plates and large rotating sushi trays. Another product that is attracting a lot of attention in the industry is the automatic sushi packaging machine. It is an all-in-one machine that automatically transfers the sushi produced by the sushi machine and packs it into bundles, making it a highly efficient product that forms sushi and packs it into bundles at the same time. The individualized packaging allows for a longer shelf life in a hygienic environment and a clean, fresh visual appearance. It can be used to pack sushi weights ranging from 15 grams to 20 grams and are made of special hygienic materials that will not rust over time. The product is now available in all major supermarkets and many sushi restaurants in Korea. 

Rice dispenser with 27kg capacity

The rice dispenser of Lucky Engineering is equipped with the industry’s largest capacity of 27 kilograms of rice, making it the most effective rice dispenser for group meals. This is hygienic as it eliminates the need to use a spatula, saves labor costs through autonomous serving, and Smooth delivery is also possible in group catering facilities such as hospitals and company restaurants, Korean restaurants, snack bars, rest areas, and schools, or in large-scale businesses with high rice consumption. It is equipped with a load cell type weigher, which enables accurate distribution of the correct amount of rice, and has a screen and sound notification function for replenishing rice when there is not enough rice. It is used in group meal facilities such as hospitals and cafeterias, Korean restaurants, bistros, rest stops, and schools, and is the first patented product in Korea, and has received the US ETL certification and European safety certification. Lucky Engineering also produces Korea’s first high-end rice mixer and high-end rice ball machine. The rice mixer is used in kimbap factories in the U.S. and Europe as well as in Korea, and the rice ball machine has received a lot of attention both domestically and internationally.

World’s best kimbap and suchi machines

Lucky Engineering’s exports have risen from less than 20% of its total sales to 50% today. The company, which has been focused on developing automatic machinery for sushi and kimbap for more than 30 years, plans to increase its exports to 80% in the future by targeting overseas markets more aggressively. Currently, kimbap factories in the United States and Europe are importing Lucky Engineering’s products and in the future, the company plans to expand into Japan and Southeast Asia. In particular, the rollcake machine developed by the company is capable of producing all kinds of rollcakes and will be launched later this year. “Our products are well known in Korea, and there are many places where they are used. However, the domestic market is limited, so we plan to focus more on overseas markets in the future” says Kim.