Sales Begin at Costco in the US and Japan in November
Launch in the UK, France, Germany, and More in December
Increased Sauce and Brine Strength to Suit Local Tastes
CJ CheilJedang’s ‘Sobaba Chicken’ has embarked on full-scale global expansion.
On the 27th, CJ CheilJedang announced that it has started selling ‘Bibigo Sobaba Chicken’ in the United States and Japan. The company plans to lead the global expansion of processed food K-chicken and focus on nurturing it as the next-generation K-food following dumplings.
Bibigo Sobaba Chicken began sales at Costco in the United States in early November by utilizing local production facilities, and in Japan, it has been stocked at all Costco locations.
In December, it will also be available in Europe. CJ CheilJedang will initially introduce Bibigo Sobaba Chicken mainly through ethnic channels in the UK, France, and Germany, and plans to gradually expand distribution channels and countries in the future.
The product launched overseas this time is ‘Soy Honey,’ characterized by a harmonious blend of sweet and salty flavors. The umami and sweetness created by a special soy sauce with added honey allow people of all ages to enjoy it without burden.
As the product name suggests, the core characteristic of Sobaba Chicken?crispy even when coated with sauce?has been preserved, but the taste has been slightly adjusted by country to suit the cooking habits and palates of overseas consumers. For products sold in Europe and Japan, the sauce and brining intensity were increased to offer a stronger flavor tailored to local tastes.
CJ CheilJedang believes that the factors behind its domestic market success?‘restaurant-level taste quality’ and ‘unique crispiness’?will be well received overseas as well. Most Asian frozen chicken products on the market require separate mixing with sauce or become soggy when coated, but Bibigo Sobaba Chicken remains crispy even with sauce already applied and is easy to prepare. Additionally, its bite-sized pieces enhance convenience for consumption.
Since launching its first product, ‘Soy Honey,’ in April last year, Sobaba Chicken has recorded nearly 120 billion KRW in cumulative sales as of the third week of November this year. While it is sold under the ‘Gourmet’ brand domestically, overseas consumers meet the product under the Bibigo brand in line with CJ CheilJedang’s global strategy to unify and operate all representative K-food products under the Bibigo brand.
Yang Shin-young, CJ CheilJedang’s Chicken GSP Leader, said, “Sobaba Chicken, which has been greatly loved in Korea for its unique taste quality that overcomes the limitations of frozen chicken, is now being introduced to overseas consumers. We will take the lead in globalizing K-food through differentiated products that meet the expectations of local consumers.”
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