SEOUL, April 15 (AJU PRESS) - CJ CheilJedang has begun producing kimchi in Australia using indigenous ingredients seeking to cater to local consumers' tastes, the South Korean food giant said Monday.
Australia is the fifth largest overseas market for Korean-made kimchi, importing $6.01 million worth of the traditional fermented vegetable dish from the Asian country in 2023.
CJ CheilJedang, which has supplied Australia with kimchi produced in South Korea, began production through its local partner's plant and launched two kinds of kimchi under its premium ready-to-cook product brand Bibigo.
"We are currently producing kimchi through our original equipment manufacturer (OEM)'s plant in Australia," Lee Sang-jun, a communications manager, told Aju Press. He declined to name the partner company.
The food maker exports Bibigo-branded kimchi to more than 50 countries, including the United States, Japan, Vietnam, and Europe. Global sales of Bibigo kimchi increased by about 20 percent in 2023 from the previous year.
"As part of our initiatives to globalize the Bibigo kimchi brand, we have started local production in Oceania," said Cha Yoo-jin, the head of CJ CheilJedang's Oceanian office.
Earlier, CJ CheilJedang started to produce kimchi in the U.S. after acquiring a local manufacturer. Sales of Bibigo kimchi in North America surged by more than 40 percent in 2023.
Kimchi, made with fermented cabbage and radish with a blend of red chili powder, garlic and ginger, has recently gained popularity around the world, especially thanks to South Korean films and TV series. Its largest markets include Japan, the U.S., the Netherlands, and Britain.
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