Jeju Samdasoo Begins Export to the U.S., Challenges Global Market

On the 15th, export-related officials including Kim Jeong-hak, President of Jeju Development Corporation, attended a loading ceremony at Jeju Port.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Jeju Development Corporation announced on the 16th that it will make a full-scale entry into the U.S. market, starting with a shipment ceremony for the export of Jeju Samdasoo to the United States.

On the afternoon of the 15th, Jeju Development Corporation held a shipment ceremony at Jeju Port attended by Kim Jeonghak, president of Jeju Development Corporation, and other export-related officials.

The export volume to the U.S. market this time is about 140 tons, and it plans to export more than 400 tons within this year. Jeju Development Corporation plans to promote Jeju Samdasoo in the U.S. market by entering about 50 locations, including major local restaurants and Korean communities such as Hannam Chain and H.K Galleria, mainly in the western U.S. region (LA, San Francisco, San Diego, etc.) starting in April.

Previously, Jeju Samdasoo acquired the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) last December to comply with the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), meeting the requirements for entering the U.S. market.

The purpose of implementing FSMA is a regulation focused on comprehensive preventive management in the U.S., which prohibits exports without certification and allows for FDA facility registration suspension. Jeju Samdasoo has also demonstrated safety through globally renowned overseas accredited institutions such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), and Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

In addition, a product tracking system has been introduced for export Jeju Samdasoo products, enabling detailed traceability of history, including workers and transportation routes, establishing a global claim response system.

Earlier, Jeju Samdasoo began exporting to Taiwan last December and has received a great response in the market upon entry. Jeju Samdasoo, which is stocked in Taiwan’s largest convenience store, 7-Eleven, sells more than 5,600 bottles daily on average, outselling competing global brand products and gaining popularity as a ‘K-bottled water’.

Kim Jeonghak, president of Jeju Development Corporation, said, "Although the export volume to the U.S. market is small, it will be an opportunity to inform American consumers of the excellence of Jeju’s clean underground water," adding, "Due to the impact of COVID-19, overseas export demand has decreased, so it is a challenging endeavor, but all employees will unite and do their best to become a brand that can strengthen leadership not only in the domestic bottled water industry but also in overseas markets.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.