Wheat Marketing Center Hosts Korean Bakery Product Development Team to Showcase Performance and Functionality of U.S. Wheat
PORTLAND, OR — The Wheat Marketing Center (WMC) welcomed a team of bakery and milling professionals from South Korea for its 2026 Korean Bakery Product Development Short Course, reinforcing a longstanding international partnership with U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and advancing research on the performance of U.S. wheat in global bakery applications.
“Programs like the Korean Bakery Product Development Course demonstrate the critical role that technical collaboration plays in building global demand for U.S. wheat,” said Mike Spier, President and CEO of U.S. Wheat Associates. “By partnering with Wheat Marketing Center, we are able to showcase the performance, consistency, and innovation potential of U.S. wheat while strengthening long-term relationships with key international markets like Korea.”
The week-long program, held June 15–19, brought together technical specialists and industry leaders from top Korean baking and milling organizations. Participants included professionals from key companies in Korea’s food and bakery sector, including CJ Foodville, Daehan Flour Mills, Bonnenouvelle Bakery, and Silla Myeonggwa.
Under the direction of Dr. Jayne Bock, WMC Technical Director, and Dr. Andrew Mense, WMC Food Scientist and Public Projects Manager, the course demonstrated the value and functionality of U.S. wheat blends in diverse food products including pan bread, sweet buns, croissants, and demonstrations of newly released hard purple wheat from Oklahoma State University breeder Dr. Brett Carver in artisan style loaves.
Korea Wheat Partnership Strengthens the U.S. Wheat Market
The Korean workshop was conducted in close collaboration with U.S. Wheat Associates, who plays a central role in identifying technical priorities and facilitating knowledge exchange between U.S. wheat producers and overseas buyers. This partnership enables WMC to deliver hands-on technical training programs designed to support export market development and strengthen long-term trade relationships.
“Our partnership with the Wheat Marketing Center is essential in helping international customers fully understand the value and end-use functional quality of U.S. wheat,” said Steve Wirsching, Vice President, and Director at U.S. Wheat Associates. “By working directly with industry teams like this technical group from Korea, we are able to ensure that U.S. wheat continues to meet the evolving needs of global markets.”
Throughout the course, USW representatives worked alongside WMC technical staff to guide participants through a combination of lectures, laboratory work, and industry tours. WMC regularly partners with USW to host international teams, offering structured training in bakery product development, flour functionality, and wheat class optimization.
Hands-On Research and Technical Training
The Korean team participated in an intensive technical program focused on evaluating U.S. wheat classes and flour blends across a range of bakery applications. Training sessions included lectures on wheat classes and flour functionality, followed by laboratory testing and product development trials.
The goal of the course was to use U.S. wheat classes exclusively as a replacement for other origins of wheat. Key product tests during the course included:
- White pan bread formulations using eight different wheat blends
- Croissant and laminated dough trials evaluating flour performance in pastry applications using five different blending profiles
- Morning rolls and sweet buns, focusing on texture and functionality of blended flours using four different wheat blends
- Two whole wheat products, one with a blend of NS and Purple Whole Wheat, and the second with a blend of Purple Flour and Purple Whole Wheat
Participants worked with multiple classes of U.S. wheat, including Hard Red Spring (HRS), Hard Red Winter (HRW), and Soft White (SW), to better understand their functional differences and suitability for Korean-style bakery products.
In addition to lab work and presentations by WMC’s Dr. Jayne Bock, the program included a presentation by Jordan Bunting from Oregon State University Food Innovation Center, bakery tours at Dave’s Killer Bread and Marsee Baking, and supply chain exposure with a visit to Thomas Dierickx’s Farm, giving participants real-world context for how U.S. wheat is produced and then utilized in commercial baking environments.
Key Findings from the Korean Team’s Presentation
At the conclusion of the course, the Korean team presented findings based on their product testing and evaluation. Their presentation highlighted several important insights regarding the use of U.S. wheat in Korean bakery applications.
Among the key objectives of their study was assessing whether U.S. wheat classes could effectively replace or complement other origin wheats in bakery formulations. The team found strong potential for U.S. wheat, particularly through blending strategies, to achieve desirable product characteristics across a variety of baked goods. Testing demonstrated that different combinations of wheat classes could influence dough strength, texture, and final product quality, allowing for tailored formulations depending on the product type.
Another major focus was the development of new whole wheat bakery products, where participants explored opportunities to incorporate U.S. whole wheat flour into Korean-style baked goods. Their evaluation suggested promising potential for expanding whole grain applications in this market segment.
“Our time at Wheat Marketing Center provided invaluable hands-on experience with U.S. wheat classes and their performance across a range of bakery applications,” said Shinhak (David) Oh, U.S. Wheat Associates Food/Bakery Technologist based in Seoul, Korea. “Through lab testing and product development trials, the team gained a deeper understanding of how blending strategies can be used to achieve the specific textures and qualities required for Korean-style baked goods.”
The team’s results reinforced the importance of understanding flour specifications in achieving consistent product outcomes.
Advancing Innovation Through Collaboration
The 2026 course is part of a broader series of international programs organized by USW that promote innovation in wheat-based foods while strengthening trade relationships. Throughout the year, WMC will partner with USW to host multiple international delegations and technical training programs, with workshop teams coming from China, Korea, and South Africa.
“Hosting international teams is central to the Wheat Marketing Center’s mission of connecting U.S. wheat producers with U.S. wheat customers through research and education,” said Mike Moran, Executive Director of the Wheat Marketing Center. “By providing hands-on technical training and real-world product development experience, we help our partners better understand how to optimize U.S. wheat for their specific markets and applications.”
As global demand for high-quality wheat continues to evolve, WMC remains committed to advancing the science of wheat, fostering innovation, and supporting the growth and development of U.S. wheat customers and products through programs like the Korean Bakery Product Development Short Course.
