Export of Kimchi Hits 1 Trillion Won Era, Highly Praised Overseas
Gaining Popularity Beyond Japan and China to Americas and Europe
Various Combinations of Teriyaki, Wasabi, and Olive
Low-Calorie, Rich in Nutrients... Noted as Meat Substitute
Gimme, founded by Korean-American Annie Jeon and Steve Broad, added various flavors such as teriyaki, wasabi, sesame, olive oil, avocado oil, and chili lime to Korean seaweed. They promoted seaweed not as seaweed but as a snack or cracker. Among Gimme products on Amazon US, the teriyaki seaweed pack of 20 sheets (1 pack) is currently sold out, indicating its high popularity. It received a rating of 4.6 out of 5, with 26,000 reviews.
Besides Gimme’s seaweed, K-Seaweed enjoys top popularity on Amazon. Most products have hundreds to thousands of reviews. The overseas popularity of seaweed comes from its natural origin and the absence of chemical fertilizers. Seasoned seaweed is a food item on its own and pairs perfectly with any food such as kimbap, sushi, bibimbap, noodle dishes, and snacks. Although the sodium content in seasoned seaweed can be a concern, its calorie count is attractive. Raw seaweed has 20 calories per 100g, while seasoned seaweed has 300 calories per 100g. Although it seems high, 100g equals about 100 sheets, so each sheet contains only 3 calories.
Gimbap, which combines seaweed, rice, seasoned vegetables, and meat, played a decisive role in promoting domestically produced gim. [Photo by Gwangcheon Gim]
A netizen who purchased Gimme products wrote on Amazon, "I have bought almost every brand and every flavor of seaweed snacks, and this brand (Gimme) always had the best-tasting and crispiest seaweed," adding, "The wasabi flavor is our family’s favorite, and we even fight over who gets the last pack." They continued, "There are always 20 packs ready, so we can eat a few at a time. It’s excellent just straight out of the package." An Italian buyer who purchased other K-Seaweed said, "I bought it twice in a very short time. I eat three packs a day." An American commented on the barbecue powder-flavored barbecue seaweed, "I recently discovered it and loved it," adding, "Other products were sold out, so I reluctantly bought another (foreign) brand, but it was really terrible."
Kang Do-hyung, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, visited Sungkyung Food Co., Ltd. located in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon on January 26, toured the export seaweed processing factory, and tasted the products. [Photo by Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries]
The explosive popularity of K-Seaweed has opened an era of 1 trillion won in seaweed exports. However, it threatens the original Korean dining table. Raw seaweed is mainly cultivated in Korea, China, and Japan. Due to poor harvests in Japan and China, demand for Korean dried seaweed surged, and prices soared. The rice thief seasoned seaweed has increased by 30-40% compared to before.
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