What CJ Cheiljedang does

CJ Cheiljedang is a South Korea-headquartered food and biotechnology company incorporated in 1953 and publicly listed on the Korea Stock Exchange (KRX: 097955) under parent conglomerate CJ Group. It operates four principal business pillars: (1) branded consumer foods (Bibigo mandu/dumplings, sauces and seasonings under Beksul/DASIDA/Haechandle, Hetbahn cooked rice, Cau Tre Vietnamese products, Ohya! snacks); (2) fermented animal-feed amino acids, where CJ ranks among the top five global L-Tryptophan producers and is one of four major global lysine suppliers; (3) bio-based materials, including PHACT brand PHA resins for paper coatings, bio-based nylon via the LG Chem partnership, and natural food colors via the Michroma partnership; and (4) direct-to-consumer retail through CJ Olive Young in the US.

The company operates multi-region manufacturing, including a 34,800 m² smart factory in Long An, Vietnam (capacity 1,000 tons/month of processed food; FSMA, BRC, HACCP certified), additional Vietnamese sites in Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria Vung Tau, and a $68 million plant in Kisarazu, Japan that has reached 10% of the local dumpling market. Its proprietary technology foundation is fermentation, applied across decades to amino acid production and now extended to PHA bioplastics and natural food colors. CJ monetizes through B2B ingredient supply (amino acids, bioplastic resins, bio-based nylon), branded consumer packaged goods across modern trade and e-commerce (Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop) in Asia, foodservice/QSR supply, and direct retail via Olive Young in the US. Pricing is negotiated and not publicly disclosed.

Name

CJ Cheiljedang

Legal name

CJ CheilJedang

Website

http://www.cj.co.kr/cj-en/index

Company type

Public

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Founded in 1953 and listed on KRX (097955), CJ Cheiljedang produces branded Korean and Vietnamese consumer foods (Bibigo, Beksul, Hetbahn, Cầu Tre), fermented animal-feed amino acids (lysine, L-Tryptophan), and bio-based materials including PHA bioplastics and bio-based nylon for global retail, foodservice, and industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412), Frozen Food Manufacturing (31141)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen Ethnic & International Meals (CRADADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fermented & Specialty Condiments Manufacturing (Kimchi Base, Gochujang, Miso-Based Sauces) (AFAKADAO), Refrigerated Meat & Seafood (Processed/Packaged) (CRADACAK), Frozen Entrées & Complete Meals (CRADADAA), Functional Snacks & Bars Manufacturing (High-Protein, High-Fiber, Probiotic Snacks) (AFAKAJAG)

Keywords

• Food manufacturing
• Korean packaged foods
• Frozen dumplings
• Amino acid production
• Bioplastic materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Frozen Food Production and Sales: CJ CheilJedang produces and sells frozen foods including mandu (dumplings), spring rolls, dimsum, cooked rice (Cau Tre, Hetbahn brands), and Korean street food (tteokbokki, hotteok). Products are sold through retail channels, e-commerce marketplaces, and foodservice operators across Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe. The frozen food market in APAC was valued at USD 70.20 billion in 2025.
2. Amino Acid Feed Supplements: CJ CheilJedang is one of the top 5 global manufacturers of L-Tryptophan and lysine for animal feed. The global L-Tryptophan market is valued at USD 2.72 billion in 2025 with 22% CAGR, while the lysine market is projected to grow from US$6.3 billion in 2026 to US$9.7 billion by 2033 at 6.4% CAGR. Asia-Pacific contributes nearly 45% of global L-Tryptophan demand with fewer than 10 global manufacturers controlling more than 80% of supply.
3. PHA Bioplastic Materials: CJ CheilJedang's CJ Biomaterials division produces PHACT brand PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) bioplastic resins for packaging applications. The global PHA market was valued at USD 88.15 million in 2025 and projected to reach USD 289.06 million by 2035 at 12.61% CAGR. Asia-Pacific led with 37% market share in 2024. CJ Biomaterials launched PHACT CB0504A commercial extrusion coating resin in 2026.
4. Bio-based Nylon Partnership: In February 2024, CJ CheilJedang partnered with LG Chem to produce bio-based nylon to replace conventional synthetic polymers. The global bio-based nylon market was valued at USD 934.50 million in 2023 and projected to grow to USD 5,325.81 million by 2032 at 20.8% CAGR. Asia Pacific dominated with 42.99% market share in 2023.
5. Sauces, Seasonings, and Ingredients: CJ CheilJedang produces and distributes Korean sauces, marinades (Beksul, Haechandle brands), seasoning pastes (gochujang, doenjang, ssamjang), and cooking ingredients under brands including DASIDA, Beksul, and Haechandle. Products are sold in retail and foodservice channels across Vietnam and other markets.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CJ CheilJedang manufactures and distributes Korean packaged food products (frozen dumplings/mandu, kimchi, cooked rice, sauces, seasonings, snacks) under brands such as Bibigo, Cau Tre, Beksul, Hetbahn, Haechandle, Ohya!, and DASIDA to retail and foodservice customers. The company also produces fermentation-based amino acids (lysine, L-Tryptophan) for animal feed and PHA bioplastics (PHACT) for sustainable packaging through its CJ Biomaterials division.

Product overview

CJ CheilJedang is a diversified South Korean food and bio-materials company operating across multiple product lines including consumer food products and industrial bio-materials. The consumer food portfolio is organized under brands including bibigo (global Korean food brand featuring mandu/dumplings, kimchi, steamed rice, and sauces), Hetbahn (ready-to-eat cooked rice products), Beksul (Korean seasonings and sauces), DASIDA (Korean seasonings), Heachandle (Korean pastes including gochujang), Cầu Tre (Vietnamese fried rice and spring rolls), Ohya! (snacks/milk rice crackers), and K-Street Food (Korean street food snacks). The bio-materials division produces PHACT™ PHA bioplastics for compostable packaging, lysine and L-Tryptophan amino acids via fermentation for animal feed, and bio-based nylon through partnership with LG Chem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bibigo: Global Korean food brand offering dumplings (mandu), instant noodles, kimchi, sauces, and various packaged Korean food products
• Cầu Tre
• Ohya!
• Hetbahn
• Beksul
• DASIDA
• Haechandle
• CJ Biomaterials
• CJ Olive Young
• Bột mì xe đạp (Xe Đạp flour)

Products and services

• Mandu (Korean Dumplings) Frozen Korean dumplings (mandu) with various fillings including seafood, kimchi, pork, and vegetables, sold fully cooked for retail consumers and foodservice operators.
• Kimchi Traditional Korean fermented vegetables, primarily cabbage kimchi, sold packaged for retail consumers.
• Cooked Rice (Hetbahn) Ready-to-eat cooked rice products including white rice, black rice, sprouted brown rice, and 5-grains variants, ready after 3 minutes of microwave heating.
• Sauces and Seasonings Korean cooking sauces, marinades, and seasonings for bulgogi, galbi, fried chicken, hot pot, plus sesame oil, soy sauce, gochujang, and ssamjang, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Snacks (Ohya!) Milk rice crackers (banh gao sua) with various flavors including original, cheese, matcha, and jasmine, marketed as a new generation of snacks.
• Cau Tre Vietnamese Foods Vietnamese processed foods including fried rice products (210g and 1000g), spring rolls, dim sum, beef balls, and hot pot products.
• Dimsum Frozen dimsum products sold to retail consumers and foodservice operators.
• Instant Noodles Korean instant noodles including Buldak spicy noodles and ramen products for retail consumers.
• Korean Street Food Korean street food-inspired snacks including tteokbokki, hotteok, rice balls, corndogs, and tteokbokki soup.
• PHACT CB0504A PHA Extrusion Coating Resin All-PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) extrusion coating resin for paper food serviceware such as hot and cold cups, free of PFAS, certified compostable and marine biodegradable, for packaging manufacturers.
• Bio-based Nylon Bio-based nylon produced through partnership with LG Chem to replace conventional synthetic polymers for automotive, apparel, and consumer goods manufacturers.
• Lysine (Feed-grade Amino Acid) Fermentation-produced lysine amino acid for animal feed supplements, primarily for poultry, swine, and aquaculture. CJ is one of four major global lysine producers.
• L-Tryptophan (Feed-grade Amino Acid) Fermentation-produced L-Tryptophan amino acid for animal feed supplements. CJ is among the top 5 global manufacturers alongside Ajinomoto, Evonik, Henan Dragon Biological, and Meihua BioEngineering.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% dumpling market share in Japan achieved through $68M Kisarazu manufacturing plant investment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, strategic and core.

• ZEROBASEONE (K-pop Group)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2026CJ CheilJedang partnered with K-pop group ZEROBASEONE for its 'Happy Bibigo Day' campaign at KCON Japan 2026. The campaign distributed 20,000 Bibigo products over three days to 120,000 KCON visitors, leveraging K-pop celebrity endorsement to drive brand awareness and product trial among young Korean culture fans.
• Michroma (Biotech Startup)strategicTechnology or Integration · 23 March 2026CJ CheilJedang partnered with biotech startup Michroma to achieve commercial-scale production of natural food colors. Michroma developed a fungi-based fermentation platform using CRISPR gene editing to create proprietary filamentous fungi strains producing high-performance natural food colors with superior pH and thermal stability. CJ provides manufacturing scale-up capabilities for the $2 billion natural food colors market. Michroma won the Global Food Tech Award Americas heat at Future Food-Tech summit for this innovation.
• Vietnam Taekwondo FederationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 January 2026On January 20, 2026, CJ Vietnam officially signed a cooperation agreement with the Vietnam Taekwondo Federation for the 2026-2028 period, continuing a 14-year journey of dedicated partnership and development of Taekwondo in Vietnam. The partnership includes support for training, young talent development, and organizing professional tournaments including CJ Vietnam Open. Attended by CEO Kim Se Won of CJ Foods Vietnam and Vice President Nguyen Thanh Huy of Vietnam Taekwondo Federation.
• LG ChemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024In February 2024, CJ CheilJedang entered a partnership with LG Chem to produce bio-based nylon to replace conventional synthetic polymers. The partnership leverages CJ's fermentation technology and LG Chem's materials manufacturing capabilities. The global bio-based nylon market was valued at USD 934.50 million in 2023 and projected to grow to USD 5,325.81 million by 2032 at 20.8% CAGR, with Asia Pacific dominating at 42.99% market share.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Archer Daniels Midland (ADM): Global agricultural processor and one of the four major lysine producers alongside CJ. Overlaps in fermentation-derived amino acids for animal feed and in food ingredients serving the same B2B customers as CJ.
• Nestlé: World's largest food and beverage company with broad portfolio spanning frozen meals, sauces, infant nutrition and pet food. Overlaps with CJ in frozen prepared foods and seasonings but at vastly greater scale and distribution.
• Cargill: Global agribusiness and animal nutrition company that supplies amino acids, feed premixes and protein ingredients. Overlaps directly with CJ's lysine and L-Tryptophan feed supplement business and competes for the same animal-feed customers globally.

Direct peers

• Ajinomoto: Japanese food and amino acid giant (umami seasonings, frozen foods, lysine, L-Tryptophan). Named alongside CJ as one of the top-5 global L-Tryptophan producers and competes head-to-head in fermented seasonings and frozen Asian meals.
• Samyang Foods: Korean food company best known globally for Buldak spicy ramen. Direct competitor to CJ's Bibigo/Buldak instant noodles in the same global K-food export channels and e-commerce marketplaces.
• Daesang: South Korean food manufacturer (well-known for Chung Jung One gochujang and sesame oil) and a top global MSG/amino-acid producer. Direct competitor to CJ's Haechandle/DASIDA seasonings and a fellow amino-acid fermentation player.
• Ottogi: Major Korean food manufacturer of noodles, sauces, ketchup and processed foods. Direct competitor to CJ across Korean cooking sauces (gochujang, soy sauce), seasonings and convenience foods in both domestic and export markets.
• Nongshim: South Korea's largest instant-noodle and snack manufacturer (Shin Ramyun). Direct competitor to CJ's Bibigo and Buldak noodles in Korean and global K-food categories, with overlapping retail and foodservice channels.
• Pulmuone: Leading Korean food company specializing in tofu, noodles, dumplings and ready-meal categories under brands like Pulmuone and Samchonggwa. Direct overlap with CJ's frozen ethnic meal portfolio and the Beksul/Haechandle seasoning line.
• Lotte Food: Part of Lotte Group, Lotte Food is a major Korean confectionery, ice cream and processed-food manufacturer. Competes with CJ in dumplings, snacks and frozen prepared foods across Korean retail channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@bibigovietnam
• Facebookfacebook.com/cjfoodsvn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3841472

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A5 records

Investments14 records

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

Frequently asked questions about CJ Cheiljedang