Famous US Food Festival 'Foodieland' Pop-up Opens
Global Everyday Meal Inspired by Traditional Food Culture 'Ssam'
CJ Foodville has been validated by American consumers ahead of the commercialization of its new brand 'SSAMNBOWL' (tentative name). Following Tous Les Jours, the company aims to enter the overseas market with a dining brand and lead the globalization of K-food.
CJ Foodville announced on the 20th that it promoted the SSAMNBOWL brand and Korean food culture at the FOODIELAND food festival held over three days starting from the 10th in Sacramento, California.
SSAMNBOWL is a brand discovered through an internal new business idea contest conducted for employees last year. The company is making various investments, including business support funds, and is preparing for full-scale commercialization.
This participation in FOODIELAND was arranged to test local consumer reactions ahead of SSAMNBOWL’s commercialization. FOODIELAND is a food festival held sequentially in 16 cities across the United States, attracting about 2 million visitors, making it the largest event of its kind. CJ Foodville expects that since FOODIELAND visitors are sensitive to food trends and open to new foods, this participation will greatly help refine the brand.
The brand name, combining ‘ssam’ and ‘bowl,’ signifies offering menus that incorporate the uniquely Korean food culture of ‘ssam’ into the popular American meal format of a ‘bowl.’ Although K-food is gaining attention worldwide as a trend, it is still consumed as a special dish by locals. CJ Foodville explained that the focus is on globalizing Korean cuisine by introducing a K-food brand that Americans can enjoy as everyday meals.
At this event, SSAMNBOWL presented the ‘BBQ Bowl,’ a modern reinterpretation of Korea’s ssam culture. It offered Korean-style marinated barbecue with smoky flavors such as bulgogi, dakgalbi, and galbijjim, served with vegetables, grains, and sauces to create a healthy and hearty meal. Reflecting vegetarian demand, a tofu bowl menu was also prepared as a meat alternative.
David (41), who visited the SSAMNBOWL booth, said, “I visited the SSAMNBOWL booth continuously for all three days of the festival. It was my first time trying Korean food, and SSAMNBOWL offered a familiar yet new taste, making it a menu that anyone can enjoy deliciously without barriers.” Grace (24) commented, “I often eat Korean barbecue and kimchi because I think they are healthy foods. SSAMNBOWL is a quick and convenient form of healthy everyday food, so I think I will frequently buy it near my office or home. I hope they open a store soon.” Ted (55) said, “I often go to Korean barbecue restaurants. The barbecue served at SSAMNBOWL is full of smoky and savory flavors, pairing well with salad and grains.”
A CJ Foodville representative for SSAMNBOWL stated, “SSAMNBOWL is a brand born from considering how Korea’s unique traditional food culture can be valuably spread overseas. We conducted several tests domestically with employees and exchange students living in Korea, and we plan to focus on a successful brand launch by reflecting the consumer feedback collected through this event.”
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