[Report] Why Jeju Gamgyul Chocolate Is Comparable to Godiva

Exploring Jeju Local Company 'Jekis'
Making Chocolate and Cookies with Ingredients Sourced from Jeju Farms
Exporting to Russia, China, and Japan

Jeong Gi-beom, CEO of Jekis, is introducing the company's products.

When considering gifts to give to family or acquaintances during a trip to Jeju, the most frequently chosen product is tangerine chocolate. Tangerine chocolate, filled with sweet chocolate and tangy tangerine syrup, is a product loved consistently regardless of age. On the 13th, we visited the tangerine chocolate factory 'JeKiss' located in Aewol-eup, Jeju. Jeong Gi-beom, CEO of JeKiss, introduced, "We use Jeju-grown ingredients such as tangerine, prickly pear, green tea, and buckwheat in our products, and we incorporate Jeju's culture and environment into our product packaging. As a local Jeju company, we strive to widely promote the value of Jeju."

CEO Jeong is originally from Jeju. After working in the distribution of premium European chocolates, he decided to create his own chocolate brand. In 2006, he acquired the tangerine chocolate company Jeju Wellbeing and started the business. The company name was changed to Ilguoogong in 2008 and then to JeKiss in 2012, meaning "a kiss with Jeju." He has been leading the company for 17 years this year.

When JeKiss was established, there were quite a few companies making tangerine chocolate in Jeju. During the boom in Jeju tourism fueled by the influx of Chinese tourists (yukeo), many similar companies sprang up rapidly. CEO Jeong realized that existing companies were overly focused on price competitiveness without considering product quality. To produce products with quality comparable to premium European chocolates like Godiva, he made significant investments in facilities, including building a second factory in 2014. CEO Jeong said, "The most important factors in chocolate are the content of cacao and cacao butter. These raw materials are extremely sensitive to temperature and humidity, but we have sufficient competitiveness to control these factors and produce premium chocolate."

Cookies made from ingredients such as tangerines are being produced at Jekis 2nd Factory located in Aewol-eup, Jeju.

Jekis employees are carefully inspecting freshly baked cookies.

Raw materials are sourced from Jeju-grown agricultural products. In the case of Jeju tangerines, if the pulp size is uneven or the peel has scratches or blemishes, they are classified as 'non-commercial products.' These non-commercial products are juiced or processed into extracts or powders for use in processed foods. JeKiss uses tangerine powder in the 'filling' inside the tangerine chocolate. CEO Jeong explained, "One tangerine can make about four chocolates. The chocolate weighs 9g, and the filling accounts for about 3% of that."

After succeeding in the premium strategy for tangerine chocolate, JeKiss expanded its product line to include tarts, cookies, and pies made with Jeju ingredients. Upon entering the second factory wearing sanitary clothing, automated equipment was busily producing chocolates and cookies without human assistance. Processes from raw material mixing to molding, shaping, cooling, and packaging were carried out swiftly. A JeKiss official explained, "For Dolharubang chocolates, we produce 70,000 to 80,000 pieces daily, and the inspection process is thorough."

Jequis headquarters located in Aewol-eup, Jeju.

JeKiss recorded sales of 4 billion KRW in 2010, which exceeded 10 billion KRW by 2015. However, due to the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) issue causing a decline in Chinese tourists and the impact of COVID-19, sales dropped to 6 billion KRW in 2020. Recently, with the return of Chinese tourists and other factors, the atmosphere has revived, and sales recovered to 9 billion KRW last year. Sales distribution is 30% in Jeju, 30% in mainland duty-free shops, and the remainder from exports.

JeKiss products are also famous overseas. In November last year, JeKiss became the first local Jeju chocolate company to export to Russia. They shipped $60,000 worth of products, including chocolates and confectioneries containing Jeju’s natural ingredients such as tangerine, hallabong, and green tea, from Jeju Port to Vladivostok. CEO Jeong said, "We expect to achieve annual sales of $700,000 in Russia. Entering the Russian market will be a turning point for overseas market development." Trade with China, which had been interrupted during COVID-19, resumed this month, and exports to Japan are planned to restart in October.

CEO Jeong is continuously developing new products. Within this year, they plan to release sandwich-type sabl? cookies and mini chocolate pouch products containing tangerine and garlic fillings, respectively. CEO Jeong stated, "We will not be complacent with the present but will continue developing to grow as a company that preserves the value of Jeju."

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