Increase in Kimchi Sales in the US Amid Spread of 'New Coronavirus'

The launch event of Kang Ji-young Kimchi held in LA, USA on the 2nd / Photo by Lucid Kitchen

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] Despite repeated claims that the immune-boosting effects of kimchi against the novel coronavirus have not been scientifically proven, there is a high level of interest in kimchi in Los Angeles, USA. It is reported that orders have significantly increased not only from Americans but also from Latin Americans, leading to sales broadcasts on local home shopping channels.

According to the agricultural corporation 'Lucid Kitchen,' a sales launch event was held on the 1st at the JJ Grand Hotel in Koreatown, LA. Since late January, inquiries about purchasing kimchi have poured in. Many of the customers were from China and Vietnam, but there were also a considerable number of Americans and Latin Americans. Due to the surge in pre-orders, local home shopping channels even began broadcasting the sales live.

A company official explained, "While there is controversy regarding the immune-boosting effects of kimchi, it seems there may have been a psychological influence." The medical community maintains that there is no scientific evidence supporting kimchi's immune-boosting effects, but the food industry and academia have continuously released research results indicating that the probiotics in kimchi have antiviral properties.

During the global spread of SARS in the past, there were about 700 deaths worldwide, but only one infection case was reported in Korea, which sparked rumors about kimchi's immune-boosting effects. As the 'kimchi effect' gained attention, Korea's kimchi exports to China increased by 348.1% compared to the previous year.

In 2015, when Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) broke out, with 188 confirmed patients and 38 deaths in Korea, sales of kimchi surged in large supermarkets and convenience stores as people hoped for immune-boosting benefits.

Jiyoung Kang, CEO of Lucid Kitchen, said, "The reason for exporting kimchi this time was due to requests from local buyers who noted increased American interest in immune-boosting products following the avian influenza outbreak. It seems that the demand for kimchi has greatly increased as people remembered the 'kimchi effect' during the SARS outbreak."

Meanwhile, Lucid Kitchen won the Presidential Award in the kimchi exhibition category at the 2019 International Culinary Competition. CEO Kang is also active as a jeotgal sommelier.