As a growing number of South Koreans look to healthier lifestyles and diets, Herald Corp.’s organic food developer Organica is looking to push the envelope in promoting health-conscious eating across the country.

Organica -- best known for its organic, vegetable-based detox juices -- has teamed up with coffee chain Starbucks to introduce its “Cleanse Salads” to Koreans seeking a refreshing and healthy accompaniment to their drinks.

“A cleansing, or detox, salad is basically an edible type of detox. Just like a detox juice, it is an edible version (that can be eaten instead of drunk), which is in essence an extension of the raw foods or vegan diet,” said Christine Cho, Organica’s head chef and a raw foods expert.

Detox diets -- which can be carried out through various methods -- aim to improve health by flushing out unwanted toxins from the body and pumping in nutrients from fresh vegetables and fruits.

Launched Wednesday at more than 800 Starbucks stores nationwide, there are four Cleanse Salads -- “Quinoa & Chicken” and “Lentil & Sweet Pumpkin” are available at all branches, and “Quinoa & Mushroom” and “Kale & Avocado” are being offered at five premium outlets in Seoul.

“I think everyone loves their coffee tremendously here in Korea. The salads are offered as a fresh option for all Starbucks-goers who are looking for something lighter than a sandwich, but more substantial than yogurt or fruit to go along with their coffee,” Cho said.

Jointly developed and produced by Cho, Organica and Starbucks starting from June 2014, the new Cleanse Salads feature a variety of fresh green vegetables with detoxifying properties and natural “superfoods” that are rich in minerals and fiber. Containing less than 150 calories per serving, the salads help ease the digestive process as well.
 
In an aim to stand out among other salads in the market -- including those made with just spinach and lettuce or high in calories -- Organica’s Cleanse Salads feature unusual ingredients suitable for a raw foods diet, including kale, lemon, quinoa, sweet pumpkin, beet and lentils.

Moreover, the company has taken great care to source the best, top-quality ingredients and build up a truly healthy recipe that can strike an optimal balance between nutrition and taste.

“We’ve focused on developing a healthy yet hearty salad which minimizes the use of processed ingredients by using steam to cook the chicken breasts and beans, flavoring with honey and lemon or lime juice, as well as developing the best natural dressings to complement specific vegetable varieties,” Cho said.

As a promoter of health-conscious diets, the raw food chef also expressed hope that “salads could become more widely enjoyed by Koreans in the future,” adding that there was “a significant market of Koreans who are sensitive to new trends and intelligent about food.”

Meanwhile, Organica is currently working to develop a hard-core cleanse juice line for those able to handle a more high-level detox juice program, as well as preparing to launch new snacks made with whole grains in the near future.

By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)