KING Konjac Sushi – A Healthier Twist on Tradition

Launched at the Helsinki Food Fair, KING Konjac – Sushi 2.0. received an excellent reception and, thanks to social media, has also sparked interest worldwide. “We are currently negotiating deals for USA, Canada, Spain, Germany, and Sweden, among others. We’ve also received inquiries from major global sushi chains and other players,” says Sami Gauffin, the inventor and CEO behind the patented innovation.

“There are many videos online of people attempting to make sushi from konjac, but something always goes wrong. Our team spent 1.5 years developing this product innovation, approaching it from a scientific standpoint: we conducted tests using various methods and involved Japanese food industry professionals. It’s important to respect traditions, so we aimed to replicate the taste and mouthfeel of rice as closely as possible.

During the development phase, we had students from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences’ international food innovation program taste-test the product, including many Asian students. We’ve received nothing but positive feedback.”

Konjac Sushi – sushi 2.0

Konjac, or konnyaku in Japanese, is a traditional ingredient in Japanese cuisine and is cultivated throughout Asia. Compared to the rice traditionally used in sushi, konjac contains up to ten times more fibre and zero grams of carbohydrates – making it very much healthier alternative. It is also a much better environmental choice as it requires about ten times less water for cultivation.

“In Japan, konjac is somewhat like the traditional Karelian pies here in Finland. So, we combined two Japanese traditional foods and added a touch of Scandinavian wellness thinking. This innovation is entirely new and out of the box. I have been working as an importer of specialty foods for a long time, so konjac has been a familiar staple for me for the past 10 years.”

KING Konjac bites are ready-to-serve and easy-to-use, with a shelf life of over 100 days at room temperature. The product only needs to be taken out of the package and topped with desired ingredients, and the nigiri piece is ready to eat. The konjac used in the pieces is organically farmed. The product does not contain preservatives or artificial colours and it is suitable for all diets including gluten-free, diabetic, vegan, FODMAP, ketogenic or anyone valuing delicious, healthy, and light meals.

Manufactured at the Helsinki Ring of Industry

Involved in the development of the sushi innovation is also Markku Hautala, the owner of K-Citymarket Järvenpää. The hypermarket, located in the heart of the Helsinki Ring of Industry area, has become known for its extremely high-quality sushi. The hypermarket was actually chosen as the world’s best grocery store by IGD in 2019.

“I presented the idea of konjac sushi to Markku, and he immediately got excited about it. Markku, or Make-San as we call him has excellent networks towards Japan, which we have been able to leverage during the project. Currently, finished KING Konjac sushi is available at K-Citymarket Järvenpää and their Raito Sushi restaurant at Helsinki Central Railway Station,” describes Gauffin about the collaboration.

The products are currently manufactured in the manufacturing kitchen of Citymarket in Järvenpää. King Konjac is looking for production facilities with larger capacity. The goal is to find a space suitable for the food industry with good transportation connections near the capital region – discussions have already taken place with, for example, the Järvenpää City Economic Development Department and the local development center Keuke. “So far, the cooperation in finding suitable facilities has been done in good spirit, and communication has been smooth,” Gauffin says.

“Our goal is to take the product to Japan and elsewhere in the world. We are currently seeking international investors to join us,” he adds.