McDonald's spotlights Chungju corn in new Taste of Korea burger series

McDonald's Korea will release a new burger built around corn from Chungju on Wednesday, the sixth entry in its Taste of Korea series, a localized menu line the chain has run since 2021 to showcase regional Korean ingredients and support the farming communities that grow them.

The Chungju Corn Cheese Croquette Burger — and a McMuffin version for its breakfast menu — were unveiled at a press event at the company's Itaewon branch in central Seoul on Tuesday. The burger centers on a cheese croquette made with Chungju corn, mozzarella and Monterey Jack, paired with a 100 percent beef patty and a spicy, tangy Parmesan sauce, while the breakfast version swaps in a milder white mayo sauce. McDonald's Korea said it purchased about 25 tons of Chungju corn for this year's menu.

The choice of region reflected supply as much as taste.

"Many people think of Gangwon when it comes to corn, but we looked to the central inland region," said Baek Chang-ho, who leads the company's menu development team. "The most important things in developing this menu were securing a stable supply during the sales period and finding raw ingredients of uniform quality." He said Chungju's dramatic day-to-night temperature swings give its corn a sweeter, fuller flavor, and that the menu took about a year to develop.

The project is built around regional partnerships. Launched in 2021 with the Changnyeong Garlic Burger, the Taste of Korea series has featured a new region and ingredient each year, from Boseong beef and Jindo green onion to Jinju chili and Iksan sweet potato, pairing each menu with the local government and farmers behind the crop. The company said the project has raised the profile of lesser-known produce, opened new sales channels for growers and lifted regional brand value, having sold a cumulative 30 million Taste of Korea items and sourced more than 1,000 tons of domestic ingredients to date.

"Providing tasty menu items to customers while bringing vitality to regional farming communities is the value the Taste of Korea project has pursued for five years," said Sung Jung-hwa, marketing director at McDonald's Korea.

The cooperation extends beyond sourcing. The company commissioned an outside analysis that estimated the project generated about 61.7 billion won ($42 million) in social and economic value from 2021 to 2024, most of it from raising regional brand value, with additional gains from higher farm incomes and reduced produce waste. This year, McDonald's Korea is also running a hometown donation campaign with the city of Chungju and supporting young local creators at a youth market in Chungju.

"Our Taste of Korea project brings both flavor and farming communities to life," said Shim Na-ri, senior director of corporate relations. She said a similar hometown-donation campaign tied to last year's Iksan menu drew more than 20 times the previous year's donations over two months, helping Iksan rank first in its province, and that the company plans to expand the series to include drinks and side dishes and to explore introducing Korean menu items abroad.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]