CJ CheilJedang's 'Plant-Based Dumplings' Break Through the Stringent USFK Base Requirements

Plant-Based Bibigo Wang Gyoza Launched in Major Grocery Stores
Only U.S. Beef Dumplings Allowed in U.S. Territories
Aiming to Sell Plant-Based Foods at U.S. Military Bases in Japan and Elsewhere

CJ CheilJedang announced on the 1st that it will start selling plant-based dumplings at a large grocery store located within the US military base in Korea. The newly introduced products are the 'Plant-Based Bibigo King Dumplings 3 Types (Original, Japchae, Kimchi)'.

The US military base in Korea is classified as US territory, and only dumplings containing US-certified American meat can be sold there. Accordingly, CJ CheilJedang operates by transporting and importing products produced by Schwan's in the US via air and sea. A CJ CheilJedang official said, "With the introduction of these plant-based King Dumplings, we expect that customers will be able to enjoy dumplings with the same taste quality alongside meat-containing products without any inventory supply issues."

CJ CheilJedang announced on the 1st that it will start selling plant-based dumplings at a large grocery store located within a U.S. military base in South Korea.

Earlier, from the 29th of last month for three days, a launch event was held at the grocery store on the US military base where US soldiers and their families could sample the three types of Bibigo plant-based King Dumplings. One soldier who tasted the plant-based Japchae King Dumpling said, "It was my first time trying plant-based food, but the taste is comparable to the regular dumplings I used to eat," showing a favorable response.

CJ CheilJedang plans to sell various plant-based products such as rice balls and frozen gimbap at grocery stores within the US military base, starting with dumplings. Additionally, the company aims to introduce plant-based foods at US military base grocery stores located in Guam, Japan, and other locations outside Korea.

Lee Jeong-chan, head of plant-based foods at CJ CheilJedang, stated, "Entering grocery stores within US military bases is much more stringent than general export channels, requiring about a year of efforts including tasting sessions and factory inspections," and added, "We plan to continuously secure a diverse customer base in line with the expanding health and eco-friendly trends."

Last year, CJ CheilJedang's plant-based dumpling exports more than doubled compared to the previous year. The success was attributed to the use of independently developed plant-based protein 'TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)' to replicate the taste and chewy texture of meat, and the natural seasoning ingredient 'TasteNrich®' to mask the characteristic soybean aroma. Furthermore, the brand has enhanced its credibility by obtaining the European vegan certification 'V-label,' being recognized as a K-dumpling product that cares for both taste and health. Currently, the plant-based food business operates under the 'Plantable' brand in Korea and the 'Bibigo' brand in the global market.