Organic Korean Wheat Bakery

The Story of “Nenia Bread” (Part 1)

In regions such as Europe and North America, where wheat is a staple food and wheat-based food culture is well established, communities have developed around wheat for centuries. The unique properties of wheat and local baking techniques varied from region to region. Farmers used to taste raw wheat grains directly in the fields in order to assess protein content and determine the appropriate time for harvest. However, with the mechanization and mass production of wheat farming, changes in milling methods, and the advancement of transportation, locally distinctive breads gradually became standardized.

In Korea, rice has traditionally been the staple food, and bread has often been viewed as a snack. As a result, rather than focusing on the natural flavor of the bread itself, many types of bread have relied heavily on additional ingredients such as sweet red bean paste or sugar to supplement flavor.

Recently, however, the number of people who consume bread as a staple food has been increasing. According to data from Statistics Korea, as of 2023, the average annual rice consumption per person was 56.4 kilograms, while wheat consumption reached 38.9 kilograms. Rice consumption has been gradually declining each year, whereas wheat consumption continues to increase. Against this backdrop, Nenia has taken the initiative to produce bread that can serve as a proper meal. “Nenia Bread” is the brand name for the bread line produced by Nenia, which manufactures and distributes the products through its own production facilities.

Nenia Bread is made using organic Korean wheat that the company purchases directly. Although eco-friendly Korean wheat is more expensive than conventionally grown wheat, and domestic wheat is more costly than imported wheat, Nenia continues to insist on using “organic Korean wheat” as its core ingredient. Why is this the case? And why is Nenia entering the already saturated bakery market at this point in time?

Moon Young-jin, CEO of Nenia, explains,

"Within the next two years, Nenia Bread will become the leading company in Korea specializing in baked goods made with organic Korean wheat." This article is the first in a series that shares the perspectives of CEO Moon Young-jin and Head Baker Oh Jin-moo of Nenia Bread. We begin by presenting an interview with CEO Moon, conveyed in his own words.

Why Produce Bread with Korean Wheat?

△ Moon Young-jin, CEO of Nenia Co., Ltd. 

Reflections on Korean Wheat

Golden waves of ripening wheat once stretched endlessly across the vast Yeonbaek Plains of Hwanghae Province. This was a reality before the division of the Korean Peninsula—and to some extent, it still is today.

Before the government stopped purchasing Korean wheat in 1983, domestic wheat production reached approximately 100,000 tons annually. As of 2024, Korean wheat production stands at just over 35,000 tons. The area of land used for wheat cultivation has decreased by 90% compared to 1983. Of the total wheat consumed for food (excluding feed grain) in Korea—about 2.5 million tons—Korean-grown wheat accounts for only about 1% of consumption and approximately 1.4% of total production.

Meanwhile, the global popularity of K-Culture and K-Food has surged across borders. In 2024, exports of K-Food reached 7.02 billion USD, with instant noodles (ramyeon) alone accounting for 1.36 billion USD. However, how much of that exported K-Food was truly made with Korean agricultural products? Ramyeon, for instance, contains virtually no Korean wheat.

In the 1970s, Korea’s population was in the 30-million range, and the rural population numbered 14.42 million. According to Statistics Korea, as of 2023, the national population is 51.32 million, while the rural population has dropped to 2.089 million. Over 50 years, the total population increased by more than 20 million, while the farming population declined by more than 12 million. Furthermore, there has been a lack of policy support to sustain Korean wheat farming.

The history of Korean wheat, which spans over two millennia—from around 100 BCE through the Three Kingdoms era and beyond—collapsed in the short span of just over 40 years. Among OECD member countries, is there any other case in which an agricultural foundation was so thoroughly and ruthlessly dismantled in such a short period? Has there ever been a government, since Korea’s liberation, that truly stood for its farmers or made a sincere effort to safeguard food sovereignty?

Food is not a matter of fashion, nor is it something that changes with the times. Food sovereignty is the most basic right of a nation’s people, and protecting it is a fundamental responsibility of a government that exists to serve its citizens.

The Background of Nenia Bread’s Founding: Walking Across a Snowy Field

Even as you walk across a snowy field,

Let your steps not wander without thought

For the footprints you leave behind

Shall become the path for those who follow.

This is a Korean interpretation of the poem “踏雪野中去” (Walking Across a Snowy Field), composed in classical Chinese by Seosan Daesa, the revered Buddhist monk of the Joseon era.

Government policies toward farmers and agriculture have long been insufficient. Despite this, could we create a space for minimum discourse, where we ourselves become the alternative and speak of hope? Could we, at least in the field of Korean wheat, build a model of business that proves itself within Korean society and becomes a guidepost for others to follow? And if so, could we look forward to countless individuals and groups who not only follow those guideposts but ultimately surpass them? If the answer is “yes,” then by proving the validity of our approach, we may contribute meaningfully to agriculture. Even an indifferent government might then begin to show concern and take steps toward developing effective policies regarding food sovereignty.

Such considerations form the foundation for establishing Nenia Bread. Our aim is to become the alternative, to be the guidepost—and through this, to inspire collective participation that might eventually help shape better governmental policy. That said, government policy is not the ultimate goal. Our true goal is to create sound and principled guideposts ourselves.

What Does Nenia Bread Dream Of?

What Nenia Bread envisions is, in many ways, a continuation of the path that Nenia has walked until now:

△ Nenia Bread uses organic Korean wheat to bake what it calls “bread that can be a meal.” Just as freshly cooked rice is at its best when hot, bread is most delicious when freshly baked—and Nenia brings this experience to life through its par-baked product line. 

The Principles and Vision of Nenia Bread

① The best products made with the finest ingredients

② Safe food, free from harmful additives

③ A fair and horizontal value chain that connects farmers, workers, and consumers—spanning production, milling, baking, and consumption of Korean wheat

④ A bold business model that offers an alternative and a guidepost for revitalizing Korean agriculture

⑤ Bread made with soul

Nenia Bread will continue to walk the right path, just as it always has—meeting both farmers and consumers along the way. Although our bakery is still small, within the next two years we will become Korea’s leading company specializing in organic Korean wheat-based baked goods.

We hope that the path we are paving becomes a guidepost—one that increases Korea’s wheat self-sufficiency, reshapes agricultural policy, and lays the foundation for food companies to produce truly safe, trustworthy products.

To be continued in “The Story of Nenia Bread (Part 2)”