가정식 대체식품(HMR)산업의 현황과 정책과제: 가공식품을 중심으로

Abstract

과거 대가족 구조에서는 식사를 한꺼번에 준비했기 때문에 식사준비 비용이 낮았지만, 최근 1인 가구 증가, 여성의 경제활동 참여 증가로 개인당 식사 준비에 들어가는 시간이나 비용이 증가하게 되었다. 또한 소득수준의 향상과 주5일제 근무와 5일제 수업으로 여가생활이 가족중심으로 변화되면서 좀 더 많은 여가를 즐기려는 니즈도 확대되고 있다. 이러한 인구 사회적 변화와 소비여건의 변화는 소비자들의 식품 구입, 음식의 조리과정 및 소비 단계에서 편의성을 추구하게 되었고, 조리를 간소화하여 가정식을 대신할 수 있도록 만든 가정식 대체식품(HMR)에 대한 관심도 증가하게 되었다. 또한 유통업계의 다양한 소비계층의 니즈를 충족시킬 수 있는 상품개발 및 취급 품목 확대는 물론 식재유통업체나 외식업체, 식품제조업체 등에서 HMR 제품을 출시함에 따라 최근 HMR 시장이 급격하게 성장하고 있다. HMR 시장이 성장함에 따라 소비자의 소비행태나 선택속성에 관련된 연구는 활발하게 진행되었으나 산업에 대한 전반적인 기초자료를 제공할 수 있는 시장구조나 생산, 유통 및 소비 등 산업적 측면에 대한 연구는 미흡한 편이다. 우리나라의 HMR 산업은 하나의 단일산업으로 분류되어 있지 않아 산업의 실태를 분석하는데 용이하지 않다. 또한 출처가 분명하지 않은 업계 자료를 이용하여 HMR 시장 규모를 추정함으로서 정보 제공자에 따라 시장의 규모가 달라지고 있다. 이 연구는 HMR 산업을 생산, 유통, 소비 분야로 구분하여 실태를 분석하고 강점, 약점, 기회와 위협요인을 파악함으로써 정책과제를 제시할 목적으로 추진되었다.

Background The perpetually changing consumer needs for convenience and simplicity have had a great influence over various fields of industry. For example, the recently developed robot cleaner that could ease our daily chores and the Internet of Things (IoT) that enables people to remotely control home electronic appliances add more convenience to busy urban life. The consumer's needs for such convenience and simplicity have brought many changes to the food market as well. Moreover, structural changes in society including a larger number of single-person households, increased participation of women in economic activities, aging phenomenon, and the five-day work and school weeks have accelerated the changes in the food market, stirring up interest in food products that offer convenience and simplicity. This trend has consequently led to the creation of a new food market sector known as HMR (Home Meal Replacement). HMR became an international trend of the food market in the 21st century. Korea also has joined the global trend with food producers, distributors and the restaurant industry making headways into HMR. As HMR market continues to grow, a large number of studies on HMR have been made continuously. However, previous studies have focused only on the consumption behaviors and selection attributes of customers. There is very little research conducted on the HMR market structure, production, distribution and consumption from the industrial perspective. Studying the market structure can provide a whole lot of basic information about the HMR industry. Also, the current market scale estimation only depends on media reports that quote from unreliable industry sources. This study aims at suggesting policy agendas on the HMR industry by classifying the industry into production, distribution and consumption to analyze the status and review the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities and risk factors. Method In order to investigate the status of the HMR industry and cases from overseas, documentary research, statistical and quantitative analyses, and investigation of businesses and customers were carried out. The results were compiled in the form of a manuscript under guidance from experts. Through documentary research, an expanded definition and range of HMR were set based on the various definitions and ranges suggested by previous studies, applying the current dietary life pattern. To identify the status of the HMR industry, raw data of statistical research focusing on the relatively standardized and conceptualized processed food and HMR were analyzed. For analyzing the status of the HMR industry including its production and distribution, the survey on ‘Production of Food and Food Additives’ by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety; ‘the Census on Establishments’, ‘Mining and Manufacturing Survey’, and ‘Food Grain Consumption Survey’ by Statistics Korea; and ‘Survey on Raw Material Consumption in Each Food Industry Sector’ by the Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation were used. In terms of consumption, Consumption Data on Instant and Prepared Foods from the Food Information Statistics System (aTFIS) of the Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation; and POS Data on Prepared Rice were analyzed. In addition, this study conducted a survey of 100 instant and prepared food producers and 680 consumers nationwide.Results and Implications Korea's HMR industry continues to expand, recording an average annual growth rate of 9.7%. Small businesses with fewer than 10 employees accounted for only 71.9% of the entire food industry, showing progress in upsizing. The HMR industry also shows 4.9 persons of average employment coefficient showing a significant effect of job creation. The added value ratio of the HMR industry is 42.4%, which is higher than the total added value ratio of the food and beverage manufacturing industries, which is 32.6%. The operating profit ratio of the HMR industry is about 10.5%, which is higher than the average operating profit ratio of other industries in Korea, 8.3%. In addition, the use ratio of domestic raw materials for the HMR industry (56.9%) was shown to be higher than the total use ratio of domestic raw materials in food and beverage manufacturing industries (32.2%) in Korea. However, there are issues such as problems with packaging and storage, underdeveloped R&D for processing techniques, an oligopolistic structure dominated by a few major manufacturing companies, unfair business practices forced upon supply distributors, and need for professional manpower training and stable supply and demand of raw materials. It is necessary to develop packaging, storage and processing techniques to secure the competitiveness of the HMR industry from a long-term perspective. The development of packaging, storage and processing techniques will ensure preservation of freshness, nutrition and flavor of foods in which consumers are interested. Better packaging, storage and processing will also contribute to industrial efficiency. Furthermore, it can be a part of the environmental plan and help the domestic food industry enter overseas markets. However, since the finance, manpower and R&D capacity of small-scaled companies are insufficient to develop packaging, storage and processing techniques by themselves, it is suggested that a cooperative system should be established among small and medium sized companies that produce similar items. Alternatively, a large corporation within the same field may be designated as an R&D mentor to contribute to technology development and process and facility improvement. This will encourage mutual growth of large corporations and small and medium sized companies. While the use ratio of domestic raw materials of the HMR industry is higher than the total use ratio of domestic raw materials in food and beverage manufacturing industries, it is confirmed that the HMR industry has difficulties in reliably securing agricultural raw materials. It is necessary to support HMR companies that use domestic raw materials by providing funds for their agricultural raw material purchase through a short-term low interest loan project or building and promoting a network for agricultural raw material supply. The Korean HMR market is currently monopolized by a few major manufacturing companies and large retail companies. This phenomenon may facilitate industrial efficiency and consumer benefits in the short run but it will have an adverse impact on the development of the whole society and cause industrial inequalities. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate and control the unfair transaction practices and establish a fair trade order. It is also mandatory to secure the foundations for small and medium companies to grow together. Most HMR products are precooked for consumers' convenience and are made of various ingredients. Thus there is a possible risk of food contamination, making high standards of food sanitation necessary. In order to obtain consumer confidence, a place-of-origin indication system and food labeling system should be gradually strengthened, while giving due consideration to the conditions of domestic HMR manufacturing companies that use imported agricultural raw materials due to the unstable supply of domestic agricultural raw materials and lower price competitiveness. Researchers: Park Seongjin, Choi Jongwoo and Heo SeongyoonResearch period: 2015. 1. ~ 2015. 10.E-mail address: seongjin20@krei.re.kr