Woongjin Food

What Woongjin Food does

Woongjin Food (웅진식품) is a privately-held South Korean food and beverage manufacturer founded in 1976 and headquartered in Seoul. The company operates a portfolio of 35+ brands across eight product categories: juices (자연은 / Jayeon-eun, 초록매실 / Chorokmaesil, 가야농장 / Gaya Farm), teas and grains (하늘보리 / Sky Barley, 티즐 / TEAZLE, Morning Rice / 아침햇살), children's beverages (코코몽 / Cocomong), water and sparkling (더 빅토리아 / Victoria), red ginseng and functional health drinks (장쾌삼 / Jangkwaeksam, 이온더핏 / Ion the Fit Zero), confectionery via subsidiary Daeyoung Foods (sweetory brand), and imported products. The company holds multi-jurisdiction patents on its Morning Rice rice beverage production technology (Korea, USA, China, Japan) and on Lactobacillus probiotic strains used in the Jayeon-eun yogurt line (Korea/Japan, Patent No. 10-1800632).

Revenue is generated primarily through unit-priced sales of branded packaged beverages (price points from 880 KRW for entry-level cans to 50,000 KRW for premium gift sets) distributed through three principal channels: convenience store chains (GS25, CU, Seven-Eleven, E-mart24), discount retailers and supermarkets (E-mart, Lotte Mart, Hyundai Mart), and online platforms (Gmarket, 11th Street). The Victoria sparkling water brand operates on a differentiated online-exclusive DTC model. Woongjin exports to 27 countries, with Morning Rice as the flagship international product and Daeyoung Foods supplying confectionery to global retailers including Costco.

Customer end-markets are diversified across general Korean households, health-conscious consumers seeking functional beverages, youth/MZ generation buyers targeted via webtoon collaborations and celebrity endorsements (Kim Go-eun for Sky Barley), and international buyers in Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe. The company maintains HACCP, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 certifications, has won Korea's Export Tower awards (cumulative export milestones), and was recognized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in 2019 as a Next Generation World-Class Product for Morning Rice.

Name

Woongjin Food

Legal name

Woongjin Foods Co., Ltd.

Website

https://wjfood.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Woongjin Food is a privately-held Korean food and beverage company founded in 1976 that manufactures and sells 35+ branded beverages and confectionery products across juices, teas, grains, functional drinks, sparkling water, and children's drinks, distributed through major Korean retailers and exported to 27 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

SIC

Beverages (2080), Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Carbonated Soft Drinks (Juice Drinks, Lemonades, Fruit Drinks) (CRADAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports Drinks & Hydration Beverages (CRADAHAK)

Keywords

• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Rice beverage production
• Fruit juice manufacturing
• Functional health drinks
• Confectionery and snacks

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Beverage and Food Product Sales: Core revenue from manufacturing and selling a wide range of food and beverage products including rice drinks (Morning Rice, 아침햇살), juices (자연은), teas (하늘보리, TEAZLE), sparkling water (빅토리아), functional drinks (이온더핏, 장쾌삼), confectionery through subsidiary Daeyoung Foods (sweetory brand), and imported international products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Woongjin Food manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of branded food and beverage products, including rice beverages, fruit and vegetable juices, barley and herbal teas, sparkling water, sports/ion drinks, functional red ginseng products, children's beverages, and confectionery (gum, candy, chocolate) via its Daeyoung Foods subsidiary. Products are sold under 35+ brands across 8 categories, distributed through Korean convenience stores, discount stores, online platforms, and export markets.

Product overview

Woongjin Food is a Korean food and beverage company offering a diverse portfolio of drinks and confectionery products. The core products include Morning Rice (Korea's first rice-based beverage since 1999), natural juices under the Jayeon-eun brand, barley and craft teas including Haneulbori and TEAZLE, plum drinks, functional beverages like red ginseng (Jangkwaeksam), sparkling water (Victoria), and sports drinks (Ion The Fit Zero). The company also offers children's beverages and, through its subsidiary Daeyoung Foods (acquired in 2014), confectionery products under the sweetory brand including gum, chocolate, and candy. Products span categories including juices, teas, functional/health drinks, sparkling beverages, children's drinks, and confectionery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Morning Rice (아침햇살): Korea's first rice-based beverage launched in 1999, made with Korean rice and brown rice. Bestselling product line exported internationally.
• 자연은 (Jayeoneun / Grateful Nature)
• 하늘보리 (Haneulbori / Sky Barley)
• 초록매실 (Chorokmaesil / Green Plum)
• 빅토리아 (Victoria)
• 장쾌삼 (Jangkwaeksam)
• 티즐 (TEAZLE)
• 이온더핏 (Ion the Fit)
• 가야농장 (Gayanongjang)
• sweetory
• 솔브앤고 (Solve&Go)
• 바바 (Baba)
• 가을대추 (Ga-eul Daechu)
• 코코몽 (Cocomong)
• 815콜라 (815 Cola)

Products and services

• Morning Rice (아침햇살) Korea's first rice-based beverage made from 100% Korean rice, launched in 1999. Holds the #1 position in the Korean rice beverage category and exports to 27 countries, with production technology patented in Korea, USA, China, and Japan.
• Jayeoneun (자연은) - Natural Juice Line Multi-variant fruit and vegetable juice brand offering aloe, mango, orange, grape, tomato, Jeju tangerine, apple, pomegranate, high-calcium, raspberry, carrot, and blueberry flavors for general consumers.
• Jayeoneun Yogert/Zello (자연은 요거∙젤로) Yogurt drink and jelly product line under the Jayeoneun brand featuring probiotic Lactobacillus strains patented in Korea and Japan (Patent No. 10-1800632).
• Jayeoneun The Malrin (자연은 더말린) Fiber-focused juice product line under the Jayeoneun brand targeting digestive health.
• Jayeoneun Sherbet Ade Zero (자연은 셔벗에이드 제로) Zero-sugar sherbet-flavor ade drink under the Jayeoneun brand.
• Chorok Maesil (초록매실) Green Plum Drink Korea's first green plum drink, launched in 1999, traditionally consumed for digestive benefits and prevention of food poisoning.
• Gaya Farm (가야농장) Premium Juice Premium fruit and vegetable juice brand featuring aloe, tomato, and seasonal specialty juices made from quality domestic ingredients.
• Sky Barley (하늘보리) Haneulbori Korea's representative barley tea beverage made from 100% domestic barley. Caffeine-free, sugar-free, zero-calorie wellness drink. Endorsed by actress Kim Go-eun since 2020.
• TEAZLE (티즐) Craft Tea Craft tea beverage blending quality tea leaves with real fruit juice using a low-temperature filling process that preserves tea flavor. Varieties include Peach Oolong Tea and Yuja Green Tea.
• Gwangmyeong Chajeun Gyeollyeongja (광명 찾은 결명자) Eyebright Tea Barley tea beverage made with 100% domestic eyebright and black rice, marketed for eye health benefits.
• Malgege Urueonan Nurungji Tea (맑게 우려낸 누룽지차) Traditional Korean scorched-rice tea beverage.
• Woongjin Corn Silk Tea (웅진 옥수수수염차) Corn silk herbal tea beverage.
• Jasaek-euro Jalppajin Corn Silk Tea (자색으로 잘빠진 옥수수수염차) Purple corn silk tea beverage variant.
• Woongjin Hovenia Tea (웅진 헛개차) Hovenia dulcis (Japanese raisin tree) herbal tea beverage.
• Naesarang Yuja C (내사랑유자C) Yuja (citron) marmalade beverage fortified with vitamin C.
• Honey Red Ginseng (꿀홍삼) Honey-sweetened red ginseng ready-to-drink beverage.
• Honey Hovenia (꿀먹은 헛개) Honey-sweetened Hovenia dulcis beverage.
• Achimhaetsal Morning Rice Grain Beverage (아침햇살) Core rice-based grain beverage product line (Morning Rice) under the grains category of Woongjin Food's brand portfolio.
• Organic Sky Barley (유기농 하늘보리) Organic-certified barley tea beverage designed for children.
• Smooth Eyebright (순한 결명자) Mild eyebright tea beverage designed for children.
• Organic Smooth Black Soybean (유기농 순한작두콩) Organic black soybean beverage designed for children.
• Catch! Teenieping (캐치! 티니핑) Children's Beverage Children's beverage line featuring a collaboration with the Catch! Teenieping animated character IP.
• Solve&Go Kids Itteon-Teun (솔브앤고 아이튼튼) Children's health drink under the Solve&Go line.
• Cocomong (코코몽) Children's Juice Children's juice brand featuring strawberry, apple, and grape flavors in easy-to-drink packaging.
• Gaya Water (가야 water) Bottled water brand under Woongjin Food's water/sparkling/ion category.
• Victoria (더 빅토리아) Sparkling Water Online-exclusive sparkling water brand launched in 2015, available in plain, lemon, lime, grapefruit, watermelon, pear, berry, and energy/relax variants. Sold primarily through Gmarket, 11th Street, and social commerce platforms in 24-pack bundles.
• 815 Cola Cider (815콜라 사이다) Cola and cider-flavored carbonated soft drink brand.
• Ion the Fit Zero (이온더핏 제로) Zero-sugar, zero-calorie sports drink with light refreshing taste, containing ions similar to body fluid composition including potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
• Jangkwaeksam (장쾌삼) Red Ginseng Red ginseng brand established in 1976 featuring fermented red ginseng and premium red ginseng products made from 100% Korean ginseng. Includes flagship gift set Jangkwaeksam Red Ginseng Gold at 40,000 KRW.
• Solve&Go (솔브앤고) Health Drink Health drink brand in Woongjin Food's red ginseng/health/drinks category.
• Red Ginseng Honey D (홍삼꿀D) Red ginseng honey stick health product in single-serve format.
• Hovenia Honey D (헛개꿀D) Hovenia dulcis honey stick health product in single-serve format.
• Prune Booster (푸룬 부스터) Prune-based health booster drink.
• sweetory Confectionery (Daeyoung Foods) Confectionery and well-being snack brand under subsidiary Daeyoung Foods. Product range includes sour gum, almond chocolate balls, mix chocolate balls, sunflower seed chocolate balls, assorted chocolate balls, anti-drowsiness gum, and xylitol candy. Manufactured in GMP-certified pharmaceutical-grade clean room facilities.
• Manhan Daeschan (만한대찬) Imported Foods Imported international food product line distributed in Korea through Woongjin Food's overseas import products category.
• Kamut Brandmill Brown Rice Tea (카무트 브랜드밀 현미차) Kamut brand-milled brown rice tea beverage in Woongjin Food's tea category.
• Ga-eul Daechu (가을대추) Autumn Jujube Date Beverage Traditional Korean jujube (date) beverage first launched in 1995, re-released with updated formula. Sold in 280mL PET format at 1,500 KRW.
• Baba (바바) Coffee Beverage Coffee beverage brand featuring iced pouch coffee, Americano, Hazelnut, and Caramel Macchiato varieties.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• E-land Innovation (이랜드이노플)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2022E-land Innovation partnered with Woongjin Food to participate in the UNICEF #ENDviolence Challenge, a social media campaign to end violence against children. Woongjin Food participated in the challenge and ran a supporting comment event on their Instagram.
• Lock & Lock (락앤락)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2018Lock & Lock, a global housewares company, partnered with Woongjin Food's 장쾌삼 (Jang-kwae-sam) brand for the 'Our Kids Strong Project' (우리아이 튼튼 프로젝트) children's experience program. The collaboration provided Jang-kwae-sam children's red ginseng products and Lock & Lock's Hello Baby stainless steel tableware sets to selected families.
• Daeyoung Foods (대영식품)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2014Daeyoung Foods joined Woongjin Food as a subsidiary in December 2014. It is a confectionery company founded in 1984, known for the sweetory brand and produces chocolate, gum, and candy products. It was acquired to expand Woongjin Food's portfolio into the confectionery category. Daeyoung Foods also supplies products to global retailers including Costco internationally.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lotte Chilsung Beverage: One of the largest Korean beverage manufacturers offering soft drinks, juices, water, and alcoholic beverages. Directly comparable to Woongjin as a multi-category Korean RTD beverage company with nationwide retail distribution.
• Pulmuone: Korean food and beverage major with significant presence in plant-based beverages, tofu, and health-oriented products. Comparable to Woongjin's health-functional beverage positioning and premium domestic-ingredient branding.
• Haitai Confectionery & Foods: Korean confectionery and beverage company producing candies, chewing gum, and RTD drinks. Comparable to Woongjin via Daeyoung Foods' sweetory confectionery portfolio and overlapping RTD beverage presence.
• Binggrae: Korean F&B company known for flavored milk (Banana Milk), juices, yogurt drinks, and snacks. Highly comparable product overlap with Woongjin's Nature Is line, confectionery, and RTD beverages in the Korean retail channel.

Broad incumbents

• CJ CheilJedang: Diversified Korean food conglomerate with beverages, processed foods, and bioscience divisions. Comparable to Woongjin as a Korean F&B brand operator at much larger scale, representing the broader incumbent competitive set.
• Nongshim: Korean food major best known for instant noodles but also operating in beverages and snacks. Comparable as a Korean F&B brand owner with nationwide distribution, though Woongjin is significantly smaller and more beverage-focused.
• Keurig Dr Pepper: Large North American beverage company with broad portfolio spanning soft drinks, juices, water, and functional beverages. Comparable as a multi-category beverage operator with packaged-drink distribution, though much larger and geographically distinct.
• Suntory Beverage & Food: Global Japanese beverage major offering bottled tea, water, coffee, and health drinks with strong Asian and global distribution. Comparable as a regional incumbent with overlapping tea, water, and functional beverage categories.
• Otsuka Holdings: Japanese F&B and pharmaceutical major owning Pocari Sweat and other functional/sports beverages. Comparable to Woongjin's Ion the Fit Zero sports drink and Jangkwaeksam red ginseng functional beverage positioning.

Regional players

• Ito En: Japan's leading bottled tea and beverage company with strong RTD tea, vegetable juice, and health-functional beverage lines. Comparable to Woongjin's tea (Haneulbori, TEAZLE), juice (Jayeon-eun), and health drink categories from a regional Asian beverage perspective.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wjfood
• Facebookfacebook.com/wjfood
• Instagraminstagram.com/woongjinfood

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Woongjin Food