Seoul – September 29, 2026 -- Daesang Corporation's Jongga brand generated approximately $48 million in kimchi exports in the first half of 2026, capturing 56% of Korea's total $86 million kimchi export volume for the period. The United States has overtaken Japan as Jongga's largest export market since 2023, cementing a shift in the company's global sales strategy toward North America.
Jongga's export revenue nearly tripled in eight years
Jongga's kimchi exports grew from approximately $32 million in 2017 to $90 million in 2025, according to company figures. The brand is now distributed in more than 90 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia, with U.S. distribution expanding beyond Korean grocery stores into mainstream retail channels across the western and central United States since 2019.
Daesang built a 2,000-metric-ton U.S. production base to secure local supply
In early 2022, Daesang opened a roughly 10,000-square-meter kimchi plant in the City of Industry, California, becoming the first Korean food company to complete a large-scale kimchi facility in the United States. The plant has an annual production capacity of 2,000 metric tons and manufactures Original, Vegan, White, Silbi, and Cucumber Kimchi varieties using napa cabbage, radishes, and green onions sourced directly in the U.S.
Lucky Foods acquisition expanded manufacturing and distribution reach
Daesang acquired U.S. food manufacturer Lucky Foods in 2023, adding the Seoul Kimchi product line and combining distribution networks to strengthen its position in mainstream U.S. retail. The company now operates integrated U.S. functions spanning production, commercial activities, distribution, and sales.
Product lineup now targets American palates with new formats
Beyond traditional napa cabbage kimchi, Jongga has introduced varieties using green cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers, along with milder white kimchi and ABC Kimchi made from apples, beets, and carrots. New formats include a kimchi spread for bread and crackers and a crunchy-textured product called Crunchy Bites.
A Michelin-starred chef collaboration and festival marketing target younger U.S. consumers
In 2024, Jongga partnered with three-Michelin-star chef Corey Lee to launch Original and White Kimchi under the Jongga Gourmet Edition line. That same year, a food truck campaign across Los Angeles and New York reached approximately 6,000 consumers with K-food dishes featuring Jongga Kimchi, followed by a 2025 appearance at the HEAD IN THE CLOUDS LA music festival.
"The United States has emerged as Jongga's largest export market and is a key market for our global kimchi business," said Oh Yeon-taek, CEO of Kimchi CIC at Daesang.