CJ CheilJedang plans to globalize Korean street food

South Korea's food giant CJ CheilJedang Corp. is set to launch a range of Korean street food as new products, aiming for global expansion. The company unveiled on Monday its strategic lineup, featuring six items including tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), hot dogs, gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), fried seaweed roll, bungeoppang (fish-shaped bun), and hotteok (sweet pancakes), all under the brand "K-Street Food." The company plans to release these products under the "Bibigo" brand in major markets spanning the US, Europe and Asia.

CJ CheilJedang's first move will be the launch of Bibigo tteokbokki as its inaugural product, followed by an expansion into the US, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Vietnam and other markets starting next month.

Taking local preferences and convenience into account, the products will be introduced as shelf-stable offerings in cup and pouch formats.

Furthermore, starting in August, CJ CheilJedang will introduce additional Bibigo brand products overseas, including hot dogs, Gimbap with fried seaweed, and frozen Tteokbokki.

The company emphasized that it has already witnessed the potential for success of its K-street food products in Japan. Drawing inspiration from the rising trend of Korean food and content among Japan's millennials and Generation Z (those born between the 1980s and 2000s), CJ CheilJedang launched frozen Gimbap in Japan in March, achieving impressive sales of over 200,000 units within a month.

To further promote its K-Street Food brand, CJ CheilJedang will open a "K-Street Food Pop-up Store" in Shibuya, Tokyo, from June 19 to 17, showcasing Bibigo Tteokbokki, frozen Gimbap, hot dogs, and more to local consumers.

"We are committed to pioneering a new market with K-street food and expanding the reach of K-food," a CJ CheilJedang official said.

Write to Kyeong-je Han at hankyung@hankyung.com