"Picky Eater Baby Only Wants Pororo Kimchi"... Children's Kimchi Also Faces Sold-Out Crisis

Despite Resumption of General Kimchi Supply, Children's Kimchi Still Pending
Secured Autumn Cabbage Quantity but Currently Sorting Tender Leaves
"Supply Will Resume Soon Once Quantity Is Secured"

"My baby is picky, but if there is Pororo Kimchi and Nurungji, he finishes a bowl of rice in no time. However, maybe because of the cabbage price these days, I haven't seen them in the mart for a long time. I tried other white kimchis, but he doesn't eat them. When will Pororo Kimchi be available again?"

Daesang Jongga, which holds the number one market share in kimchi, has resumed supplying cabbage kimchi after a long hiatus, but the shortage crisis of children's kimchi still continues. Although they secured the autumn cabbage supply that was blocked due to the cooler weather, it takes time to select the tender leaves. Daesang stated, "We plan to resume production soon once the cabbage selection process is completed."

A kimchi display at an Emart in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Except for bite-sized kkakdugi from the Jongga brand, there is no children's kimchi available. Photo by Im Onyu

According to the distribution industry on the 7th, large marts such as Homeplus, E-Mart, Lotte Mart, and Daesang's online mall Jeongwon e-shop currently have Jongga Children's One-bite White Kimchi and Jongga Children's One-bite Cabbage Kimchi temporarily out of stock. Currently, only Jongga Children's One-bite Kkakdugi among children's kimchis is available for purchase on Jeongwon e-shop.

The impact of disrupted cabbage supply due to this summer's heatwaves and heavy rains, which caused a halt in kimchi production, is still ongoing. Fortunately, with the weather cooling down and autumn cabbage supply secured, production and supply of regular seasoned kimchi and whole cabbage kimchi resumed from mid-last month. However, production of children's kimchi has yet to resume.

Daesang Jongga Children's One-Bite Baek Kimchi and others are temporarily out of stock. Homeplus website

Jongga products featuring Pororo as a model are among the leading brands in the children's kimchi market. As the popular products have been out of stock for several months, inquiries have been pouring in mainly through local mom cafes. One consumer said, "My child only likes Pororo white kimchi, but it's sold out everywhere," and asked, "Please comment if you have seen Jongga children's kimchi in marts."

Despite the smooth supply of cabbage, the delay in children's kimchi supply compared to regular kimchi is due to the time-consuming ingredient selection process. A Daesang official said, "Children's kimchi requires tender leaves that are suitable for kids to eat, so there are different raw material standards from regular kimchi," adding, "We need to select the cabbage and secure the quantity before we can resume production." Daesang is confident that children's kimchi supply will resume soon as there is no problem with cabbage supply.

Meanwhile, the sharply rising cabbage prices have stabilized since mid-last month. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) Agricultural Products Distribution Information (KAMIS), the retail price of one head of cabbage on the 5th was 4,757 won, which is 47% lower than 8,947 won a month ago. However, it is still 25.12% higher compared to 3,802 won a year ago.

Although the kimjang season is in full swing, prices of not only cabbage but also radish and garlic are much higher than last year, so the number of "Gimpo-jok" (people who buy kimchi instead of making kimjang) is still increasing. The retail price of peeled garlic per 1kg is 10,291 won, 18.42% higher than last year's 8,690 won, and during the same period, one radish costs 2,945 won, which is 73% higher than last year's 1,699 won.