Cookat
Cookat (주식회사 쿠캣) is a Seoul-based food media company founded in 2013 that produces food trend content across proprietary channels (Cookat, 오늘 뭐 먹지?, Today, Cookat Global) and sells private brand food products (Ballaz, ThinkaBody, Today Bibim) via its Omukshop e-commerce platform, serving both individual food enthusiasts and B2B brand partners including Mondelez, Nestle, and CJ.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersYeoksamdong, South Korea
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Cookat does
Cookat (주식회사 쿠캣, Cookat Inc.) is a South Korea-based food media company founded in 2013 and headquartered in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The company produces food trend content across multiple proprietary channels including 'Cookat', '오늘 뭐 먹지?' (What should I eat today?), 'Today', and 'Cookat Global', distributed primarily through YouTube, Facebook, and its own website. Beyond content, Cookat operates a portfolio of private brand (PB) food products — Ballaz cookies, ThinkaBody functional foods and beverages (including Mugwort Milk), Today Bibim ready-to-eat items, and EatTheSeoul — sold through its Omukshop e-commerce platform and other retail channels. The company also organizes large-scale food festivals, partnering with COEX convention center as a venue, extending its content reach into experiential events.
The business operates across three primary revenue streams: (1) content media — advertising and brand sponsorship revenue from food and beverage companies; (2) private brand products — direct-to-consumer sales of owned SKUs; and (3) food festivals — event-based transaction revenue. Its customer base is bifurcated: individual food enthusiasts consuming media and purchasing PB products, and B2B brand partners (including Mondelez, CJ, GS, Nestle, Samyang, and Nongshim) leveraging Cookat's audience for content collaborations and trend marketing. Go-to-market is product-led, using free food content as a top-of-funnel asset to build audience, brand affinity, and downstream commerce conversion.
Cookat has raised approximately USD 42.6 million across six funding rounds from 2014 through June 2021, with the largest (KRW 32 billion, ~USD 28 million) led by Mirae Asset Venture Investment in June 2021. The company self-positions as 'Asia No.1 Food Media'. No revenue, valuation, or AI/ML capability has been publicly disclosed. Leadership is centered on CEO Lee Moon-ju (이문주), the Representative Director.
Cookat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cookat
- Legal name
- 주식회사 쿠캣 (Cookat Inc.)
- Website
- https://cookat.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Cookat (주식회사 쿠캣) is a Seoul-based food media company founded in 2013 that produces food trend content across proprietary channels (Cookat, 오늘 뭐 먹지?, Today, Cookat Global) and sells private brand food products (Ballaz, ThinkaBody, Today Bibim) via its Omukshop e-commerce platform, serving both individual food enthusiasts and B2B brand partners including Mondelez, Nestle, and CJ.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cookat industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Media
- NAICS
- Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Cookies & Crackers (2052), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Better-for-You / Functional Snacks (Low Sugar, Keto, Probiotic, Fortified) (CRADABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Frozen & Refrigerated Snack Foods (Ice Cream Novelties, Snack Bites) (CRADABAL), Breakfast Foods & Cereals (Cereal, Granola, Oatmeal) (CRADAAAE)
Keywords
Where Cookat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Yeoksamdong
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cookat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Content Media: Food media content production and distribution across multiple channels including YouTube and other digital platforms
- Private Brand (PB) Products: Own branded food products including Ballaz, Cookie&Milk, think a body, Mugwort Milk, and Today Bibim
- Food Festivals: Organizes and hosts large-scale food festivals in South Korea as part of food trend experience offerings
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Cookat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cookat is a South Korea-based food media company that produces and distributes food trend content through multiple proprietary channels (including '오늘 뭐 먹지?' / 'What should I eat today?' and 'Cookat'), sells its own private brand (PB) food products such as Ballaz cookies, ThinkaBody functional beverages, and Today Bibim, and organizes large-scale food festivals to deliver experiential access to food culture. The company integrates content, commerce, and live events under one food-trend ecosystem targeting Asian consumers and food brands.
Product overview
Cookat operates as a unified food media and commerce platform, combining content creation with private brand products and e-commerce. The core offering spans multiple food media channels ('Cookat', '오늘 뭐 먹지?', 'Today') that produce high-quality video content to drive food trends, complemented by direct-to-consumer private brand products (Ballaz cookies, ThinkaBody functional beverages including Mugwort Milk, Today Bibim) sold through the Omukshop e-commerce platform. The portfolio includes specialized brand channels like Cookat Global for international audiences and EatTheSeoul for local Seoul-focused offerings, all unified under Cookat's mission to lead Asian food trends and provide experiential access to food culture through content, commerce, and food festivals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ballaz: Private brand product line
- think a body
- eattheseoul
- Today
- omukshop
Products and services
- Cookat Global (쿠캣 글로벌) International food media channel delivering Asian food content and trends to global audiences; aimed at consumers outside Korea interested in Asian food culture.
- Today (투데이) Cookat's daily food media channel focused on trending culinary topics and food trend content for Korean consumers.
- Omukshop (오먹샵) E-commerce platform where Cookat sells its own private brand (PB) food products and food-related merchandise directly to consumers.
- Ballaz (볼라즈) Cookat's private brand cookie product line featuring creative flavor combinations, including the Cookie&Milk offering; sold to consumers.
- ThinkaBody (링크어바디) Cookat's functional food and beverage private brand, including products such as Mugwort Milk; targets health-oriented consumers.
- EatTheSeoul (잇더서울) Cookat's private brand focused on Seoul-style food products and local culinary experiences.
- Today Bibim (투데이 비빔) Cookat's private brand ready-to-eat bibim (Korean mixed rice dish) product line; sold directly to consumers.
- Food Festivals Large-scale food festivals organized and hosted by Cookat in South Korea, providing consumers with experiential access to trending food brands and products; events hosted in partnership with venues such as COEX.
Companies that use Cookat
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cookat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Cookat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- MondelezminorBrand partner listed on Cookat's website under 'our partners' section, indicating marketing collaboration for food content or brand promotion.
- CJminorBrand partner listed on Cookat's website under 'our partners' section, indicating marketing collaboration for food content or brand promotion.
- GSminorBrand partner listed on Cookat's website under 'our partners' section, indicating marketing collaboration for food content or brand promotion.
- NestleminorBrand partner listed on Cookat's website under 'our partners' section, indicating marketing collaboration for food content or brand promotion.
- SamyangminorBrand partner listed on Cookat's website under 'our partners' section, indicating marketing collaboration for food content or brand promotion.
- NongshimminorBrand partner listed on Cookat's website under 'our partners' section, indicating marketing collaboration for food content or brand promotion.
- SBSminorBroadcast media partner listed under 'our partners', indicating potential content collaboration or media partnerships.
- COEXminorEvent venue partner listed under 'our partners', likely for hosting food festivals and events at COEX convention center.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cookat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- CJ CheilJedang: Major Korean F&B manufacturer and Cookat partner. Comparable as a Korean branded food producer with content/brand marketing capabilities, though primarily a manufacturer rather than media-led commerce operator.
- Sempio: Korean packaged food brand with growing direct-to-consumer and content marketing investments. Comparable as a Korean CPG with brand-led consumer marketing, though traditional retail distribution-led.
- SBS funE: Korean broadcast network's digital food/lifestyle vertical and a listed Cookat partner. Comparable regional food media player with broadcast-driven reach in the same Korean market.
Direct peers
- Tastemade: US-based food media and commerce company producing video content and operating a shoppable commerce platform. Closely comparable to Cookat's hybrid content + commerce + brand-partnership model.
- Food52: Food media brand combining editorial content with e-commerce and community. Comparable to Cookat's content-driven commerce strategy across PB products and food trends.
- Yummy.co.kr (냠냠): Korean food media platform producing recipe and food trend content for Korean consumers. Direct overlap with Cookat's primary Korean food media audience and content-led model.
Broad incumbents
- BuzzFeed Tasty: Food content vertical of BuzzFeed producing shareable recipe videos at global scale. Overlaps with Cookat's viral food content distribution and trend leadership, though part of a broader media portfolio.
- Delish: Hearst-operated food media brand producing recipe videos and trend content. Comparable in food media monetization via advertising and brand integrations, though without the PB commerce layer.
- Bon Appétit (Condé Nast): Established food media brand combining editorial, video, and branded content at scale. Comparable as a food authority brand monetized through advertising and partnerships, though US-focused and without commerce.
- Oatly: Global functional/BFY plant-based food brand built around a strong media-led brand narrative. Comparable in functional food positioning (analogous to ThinkaBody) with brand-as-content marketing DNA.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cookat social profiles
Digital presenceCookat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cookat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Cookat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors16 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cookat M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cookat
What does Cookat do?
Cookat is a South Korea-based food media company that produces and distributes food trend content through multiple proprietary channels (including '오늘 뭐 먹지?' / 'What should I eat today?' and 'Cookat'), sells its own private brand (PB) food products such as Ballaz cookies, ThinkaBody functional beverages, and Today Bibim, and organizes large-scale food festivals to deliver experiential access to food culture. The company integrates content, commerce, and live events under one food-trend ecosystem targeting Asian consumers and food brands.
Is Cookat a public or private company?
Cookat is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Cookat founded?
Cookat was founded in 2013. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Cookat based?
Cookat is headquartered in Yeoksamdong, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Cookat make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Content Media is the primary driver. The others are private Brand (PB) Products and food Festivals.
Who are Cookat's main competitors?
Regional players on record are CJ CheilJedang, Sempio and SBS funE. Direct peers are Tastemade, Food52 and Yummy.co.kr (냠냠). Broad incumbents are BuzzFeed Tasty, Delish, Bon Appétit (Condé Nast) and Oatly.
Does Cookat have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cookat.
What industry is Cookat in?
Cookat's product category is Food Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADABAM, Better-for-You / Functional Snacks (Low Sugar, Keto, Probiotic, Fortified), with a secondary code of CRADABAL, Frozen & Refrigerated Snack Foods (Ice Cream Novelties, Snack Bites). Its NAICS code is 44529 and its SIC code is 2052.