Ep 01. A Small Seed Left Behind by My Father (Oraeolab Start)

👋 Hey, I’m Rex.

This is the first episode of the OreaoLab story, and it all starts with my father.

"Dad, you have to eat something… Just one bite, please?"

This was the phrase I repeated the most while watching my father battle cancer.
Until then, I had never realized how crucial eating could be.

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The Beginning of the Journey to Find the Right Food

In 2022, my father was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
With the start of chemotherapy, he struggled with nausea and vomiting,
making it almost impossible for him to eat properly.
His weight dropped, his strength declined, and he entered a vicious cycle.

"He needs to eat… but what can he actually eat?"

I searched through Korean cancer patient communities and caregiver groups,
trying to gather information on what foods patients could eat,
what nutrients were essential, and most importantly,
which foods they could actually tolerate.

And then, I discovered a simple truth:

💡 "Cancer patients still crave delicious food."

There were many medical foods designed for cancer patients,
but the problem? They didn't taste good.

Healthy foods often lacked flavor, while tasty foods lacked nutrition.
My father naturally gravitated toward bread, cookies, sweet rice drinks, and snacks—foods he could actually enjoy.

But could these really provide the nutrition he needed?
That’s when Dave (COO and my friend) and I made a decision.

🚀 "Let’s create snacks that are easy to eat, delicious, and nutritious."

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The Birth of OreaoLab

Through months of research, we identified some common eating patterns among cancer patients:

✅ They struggle with full meals and prefer small, snackable portions.
✅ They develop an aversion to staple foods like rice, meat, and even plain water.
✅ Protein deficiency is a major issue, but protein shakes and supplements quickly become unappealing.
✅ Mild, nutty flavors with no strong odors are easier to consume.

💡 Could we create a snack that met these needs—something cancer patients could truly enjoy while getting the nutrients they needed?

We spent six months developing our first product,
carefully testing, refining, and adjusting every detail.

(👉 We’ll dive into that journey in the next episode! 😉)

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The Values That Shape OreaoLab

As we developed our products, we also defined the core values of our brand.

1️⃣ Taste & Variety

✔️ It must be delicious.
✔️ Available in various forms—crispy chips, cookies, shakes, and more.

2️⃣ Function & Nutrition

✔️ Not just snacks, but functional health foods.
✔️ High-protein, low-sugar, antioxidant-rich, and potentially cancer-supporting ingredients.
✔️ Minimal processing to preserve maximum nutritional value.

3️⃣ Natural & Trustworthy

✔️ Minimize artificial additives and use pure, natural ingredients whenever possible.
✔️ Maintain a clean and trustworthy production process.

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Setting a New Standard for Healthy Snacks

Our goal was never to create snacks only for cancer patients.

Instead, we asked:

💡 "Why not create snacks that anyone—cancer patients, diabetics, dieters, seniors, children—can enjoy and benefit from?"

This is the vision that OreaoLab pursues today.

A snack that’s not just a treat, but truly nourishing.
A snack that supports both taste and health.

 

To create a new category in care food, OraeoLab's journey continues.

"In September 2023, my father left this world, leaving behind a small seed. But that seed continues to grow through OraeoLab. Our journey does not stop here"

👉 In the next episode, I’ll share the story behind OreaoLab’s very first product. Stay tuned! 😉

Link Click  Ep 02. That Doesn’t Seem Possible...The Mushroom Brown Rice Chips