CJ CheilJedang 'Taste N Rich' Sales Up 150% Amid Vegetarian Trend

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] CJ CheilJedang announced on the 8th that sales of its plant-based fermented seasoning ingredient ‘TasteNrich’ from January to May this year increased by about 2.5 times (150%) compared to the same period last year. TasteNrich, officially launched in May 2020, recorded annual sales of approximately 34 billion KRW last year, establishing itself as a new growth engine for CJ CheilJedang’s bio business.

TasteNrich is 100% plant-based and has a 'Clean Label' attribute, which has received positive responses from global food companies, according to CJ CheilJedang. Currently, most of the 136 clients in 34 countries are companies producing 'future innovative foods' such as alternative meat or vegan products, indicating that TasteNrich is recognized as a next-generation plant-based seasoning ingredient. CJ CheilJedang also uses TasteNrich in products like its 100% plant-based specialized brand ‘Bibigo Plantable’ dumplings.

TasteNrich is a next-generation seasoning ingredient that embodies CJ CheilJedang’s fermentation technology and research & development (R&D) capabilities accumulated over more than 60 years. It is made solely from umami components produced during the fermentation of plant-based raw materials without additives or artificial processes. Existing seasoning ingredients such as MSG are classified as additives and do not meet the 'Clean Label' criteria.

Following the acquisition of vegan certification for TasteNrich from the Korea Vegan Certification Institute in August last year, CJ CheilJedang is also pursuing vegan certification in major business countries such as Europe in the near future.

Additionally, a dedicated production line for TasteNrich was established at the Jombang factory in Indonesia last year, and expansion will be completed within this year to meet the explosively increasing demand. The company plans to achieve annual sales of 50 billion KRW with TasteNrich this year and nurture it as a core product following ‘Nucleic Acid,’ which currently holds an overwhelming global No. 1 position.

A CJ CheilJedang official said, "Global companies aiming to produce healthy products recognize the differentiated competitiveness of TasteNrich," adding, "We will continue to lead changes in the global seasoning ingredient market."

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