'5th Anniversary' CJ CheilJedang 'Bibigo Soup Dishes', Cumulative Sales Surpass 700 Billion Won

Cumulative Sales of 300 Million Packs, 6 Bowls Per Person
14-Fold Revenue Growth, 260 Billion Won Target This Year
‘Gamasot Method’ Differentiated Technology, Market Share in the 40% Range

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] CJ CheilJedang announced on the 17th that its 'Bibigo Soup Dishes' have surpassed cumulative sales of 300 million packs and cumulative revenue of 700 billion KRW over five years since their launch in June 2016. This equates to six bowls per person nationwide, with sales growing 14-fold from 14 billion KRW in the first year to 200 billion KRW last year alone.

CJ CheilJedang recreated the way of making soup dishes at home, which are usually enjoyed but difficult to prepare directly, resulting in a differentiated product filled with sincerity. By introducing products with substantial ingredients and quality flavors in a market previously filled with 'nominal soup dishes' lacking proper ingredients and broth, they changed consumers' perception of home meal replacements (HMR). As a result, they contributed to growing the ambient soup, stew, and jjigae market more than sevenfold in four years since 2016.

This year, the market showed over 20% growth in the first quarter compared to the same period last year. 'Bibigo Soup Dishes' plans to become a major category with annual sales of 260 billion KRW.

Since 2017, 'Bibigo Soup Dishes' has maintained a market share in the 40% range, holding the undisputed number one position. The secret to its steady popularity lies in CJ CheilJedang’s unique research and development (R&D) capabilities that deliver 'flavors made with sincerity' that cannot be imitated.

To realize a taste made not artificially but through 'time and effort,' CJ CheilJedang applied a traditional cauldron-style 'broth extraction technology.' Using broth simmered for up to eight hours as a base, they enhanced deep flavors. Ingredients like red pepper powder and garlic were also roasted directly to create rich and natural flavors without adding seasoning. Additionally, they applied 'raw material control technology' to maintain the texture of ingredients and high-temperature heat treatment for ambient distribution and storage, maximizing the flavor of broth, ingredients, and the texture of raw materials.

The flagship products such as Yukgaejang, Chadol Yukgaejang, Beef Seaweed Soup, and Chadol Doenjang Jjigae focus on delivering the same taste and quality as homemade dishes. For Yukgaejang, they chose a differentiated method by removing blood from raw meat, simmering it for a long time to extract beef bone broth, and shredding the boiled meat by hand. Generous amounts of coarsely shredded brisket, taro stems, and green onions were added to create a deep and clean taste. This approach helped the product become a hit and a steady seller as soon as it was launched, gaining popularity through word of mouth.

'Bibigo Soup Dishes' is permeating not only Korean tables but also overseas ones by leading Korea’s unique food culture that prefers soups and stews and the trend of seeking healthy and convenient meals.

In fact, the penetration rate of soup dishes (the proportion of households purchasing at least once a year) has been rising annually. According to CJ CheilJedang’s research, last year’s penetration rate increased by 4.7 percentage points from the previous year to 53%. Among the main purchasing groups, households with elementary to high school children showed a penetration rate of over 60%, while senior households, which had a high resistance to convenience foods, showed the largest increase with a penetration rate of 40.8%.

As a leading HMR company, CJ CheilJedang plans to focus more on market expansion and quality upgrades. While they have so far transformed consumer perceptions of soup dish products through differentiated taste and quality, they plan to continuously develop innovative products that can replace not only home meals but also dining out.

Furthermore, they will accelerate overseas market expansion to introduce 'the taste of Korea' to people worldwide. In the first year of launch, 'Bibigo Soup Dishes' were sold in over 10 countries including the United States, Japan, and China, and have now expanded to more than 40 countries including Taiwan and India. CJ CheilJedang plans to increase dedicated products tailored to export standards by country and broaden distribution channels to raise global sales by about 30% this year.

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