Following the recent opening of the first kimchi factory in the U.S., South Korean food companies will begin selling less spicy, “mild kimchi” that caters to Western palettes at stores across the U.S. and Europe.
Daesang Corp. recently invested 20 billion won (approximately $16 million) into building the first kimchi factory in the U.S. Located in Los Angeles, the kimchi factory is expected to produce around 2,000 tons of mild kimchi in 10 different variations annually, including vegan, beet and pickle radish.
The company announced on March 29 that the building of the factory had been completed and will be selling the kimchi products under the name “Jongga.”
Daesang holds about 40% of kimchi exports, and the company’s exports have increased by 131% in the last five years due to the increasing demand for the side dish.
Other South Korean food companies are also making plans to export their own mild kimchi in stores across the U.S. and Europe. Many of these companies will sell kimchi variations that cater towards vegetarians, using plant-based ingredients.
One South Korean food company, CJ Cheiljedang Corp., is planning on expanding their exports and is making mild kimchi made of plant-based ingredients without salted seafood. The kimchi is expected to be sold in H Mart, a Korean supermarket chain in the U.S., and a company branch office will be opening in England to serve European markets.
Sempio Foods Company has also just released two new variations of canned kimchi: Kimchi Original and Stir-fried Kimchi. Rather than using fish sauce as the liquid seasoning, the new kimchi uses “Yondu,” a vegetarian, bean-based liquid seasoning created by Sempio. Sempio is planning to sell the mild kimchi in both Europe and the U.S.
