CJ CheilJedang’s Korean Rice Line Tops $74M Sales in the US

CJ Cheiljedang Corp. proved it has gained popularity in the United States after its latest sales report showed it went over the $73 million mark. This revenue indicated a three-fold increase since it acquired the major US food firm - Schwan's Company - in 2019.

The South Korean food manufacturer said on Monday, Oct. 30, that the collective sales of its frozen rice products which were locally produced and sold in the U.S. have gone beyond the KRW100 billion or $74 million level. The company now expects the numbers to reach more than KRW130 billion or $96 million by the end of this year.

CJ Cheiljedang’s Products in the U.S.

As per The Korea Economic Daily, CJ Cheiljedang’s acquisition of Schwan's Company four years ago greatly helped in its expansion in the country. Since the US-based firm is already an established business, the South Korean food company was able to immediately secure a cold chain distribution system across the nation.

CJ Cheiljedang’s flagship products such as Chicken with Korean BBQ Flavor, Kimchi, Soy Garlic Shrimp, fried rice, and others are now widely distributed there. These food items are being made at Schwan's Vermont manufacturing plant instead of being exported from South Korean plants. These are regularly distributed to major US retail outlets such as Target, Walmart, and Target.

The Popularity of Frozen Rice

CJ CheilJedang believes that the popularity of its frozen rice packages in the U.S. market was due to the adaptation of Korean food culture to suit the palate of the local customers, Korea Joongang Daily reported. The firm added that the most sought-after rice-based processed foods are the kimchi, garlic, and Korean barbecue flavors and these have the biggest sales in the range.

"We added flavors such as Korean BBQ sauce, kimchi, and garlic to the most popular fried rice flavors in the United States, including chicken, vegetables, and shrimp," the company explained.

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