Tokyo: South Korean food company CJ Cheiljedang Corp. announced it has commenced operations at its fifth dumpling plant in Japan, aiming to cater to the increasing local demand for Korean food products.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 100 billion-won (US$72 million) facility in Kisarazu, Chiba, is expected to boost the production of CJ's dumpling products. This expansion is timely, as there is a resurgence of the Korean Wave in Japan, which a company official described as a "decisive opportunity" to solidify CJ Cheiljedang's presence in the region.
Sales of CJ's frozen dumplings in Japan have surged by 28 percent from the previous year during the first half of this year. The company has outlined plans to launch more localized dumpling products and explore further opportunities within Japan's frozen dumpling market, which is valued at 1.1 trillion won.
Overall, CJ Cheiljedang's food division saw a 42 percent increase in sales in 2024, reaching 11.35 trillion won, up from 8.01 trillion won in 2019. The share of overseas sales in the company's total food revenue also climbed to 49 percent, amounting to 5.58 trillion won, compared to 39 percent in 2019.
CJ Cheiljedang operates 34 overseas plants, including 20 in the United States, five in Japan, four in China, three in Vietnam, and one each in Germany and Australia, along with 11 plants in South Korea. The company is also in the process of constructing new production facilities in Hungary and South Dakota, USA.