[CJ ON THE GROUND – Food] Chairman Lee: ‘Only One, Next One, Number One. I Like One’

From breakthrough products to bold ambitions, CJ Foods is building the next chapter of K-food’s global expansion in the Americas Once THE CJ CUP wrapped up in Texas, Chairman Lee Jay-hyun’s next stop was Minneapolis, Minnesota — home to CJ Foods’ food business in the Americas. It was his first visit in seven years, shortly after CJ acquired U.S. frozen food company Schwan’s in 2019. After completing a packed two-day schedule and saying his final goodbyes, Chairman Lee was heading toward the elevator when he suddenly stopped, turned around and called out to the employees gathered behind him: “Only One, Next One, Number One. I like One.” “One”: It was the word he used most often during his on-site visit. For Chairman Lee, the message was clear: Korea and the U.S. must operate as “One Body, One Spirit and One Team” to drive growth. This idea ties directly to OnlyOne, CJ Group’s core management philosophy. Chairman Lee defined that philosophy in this way: “Whatever we do, we must be the best. We must be the first. If we arrive later than others, we must be completely different from the established players. Best, first and differentiation — that is my philosophy.” In the Americas, he emphasized, the way to put that philosophy into action is by working as “One Team.” Speaking to employees who have helped carry Schwan’s legacy forward, Chairman Lee offered a new perspective on the company’s history. “Schwan’s history can be divided into three eras,” he said. “The first was the ice cream era, which built a truly remarkable legacy. The second was the pizza era. And now, the third era before you is K-food — an era of rapid growth and tremendous potential. CJ will support you every step of the way. We will grow together.” Founded in 1952 with a single ice cream truck in Minnesota, Schwan’s went on to become a leader in frozen pizza in U.S. households. Chairman Lee laid out a new vision for writing the company’s third chapter together with CJ, positioning Schwan’s as a key K-food hub across the Americas. ‘This Really Came Out of a Microwave?’ A key highlight of Chairman Lee’s on-the-ground visit to CJ’s food business in the Americas came during a new product demonstration, when team members sampled more than 30 products and exchanged candid feedback. No detail was too small, from the thickness of a single mandu wrapper and the heat level of chicken seasoning to the crispness of seaweed chips and their appeal to consumers. Chairman Lee personally sampled products across categories and discussed his thoughts with employees. The atmosphere was notably friendly and relaxed. Team members voted for their favorite product in each category, and no one tried to take their cue from Chairman Lee’s choice. The open session was an invaluable opportunity for the R&D team to receive honest, unfiltered feedback. The star of the day’s demonstration and tasting session, however, was pizza. A full-size pizza was placed in front of Chairman Lee. Its surface was golden brown, and its edges lightly puffed. At first glance, anyone would have assumed it had come straight from a restaurant’s brick oven. But this pizza had been cooked in a microwave in just five minutes. It was “Crunch Time,” a new product launched in April by Red Baron, Schwan’s pizza brand. It is the world’s largest full-size pizza specifically designed to be cooked in a microwave. Stacey Fowler, who leads R&D for Schwan’s, shared an anecdote that perfectly captured the product’s impact. Each time the team conducted consumer focus groups for the new product, the reaction was the same. In most American homes, frozen pizza is typically cooked in an oven, so no one believed this pizza had been cooked in a microwave in just five minutes. After several focus group sessions, the team eventually had to bring a microwave into the room and show consumers the cooking process firsthand. Only then did the consumers finally believe it. Crunch Time combines multiple R&D innovations, including a specially designed tray that optimizes moisture release to create a freshly baked golden texture, cheese and sauce optimized for microwave cooking, and par-baked dough that is packaged nearly fully baked. Developed in collaboration between CJ Foods and Schwan’s, the product has the potential to become a game changer in the U.S. pizza market. Half of Dinners in American Homes Are Ready in 5 Minutes Fifty years ago, American households spent roughly two hours a day preparing meals. Today, convenience and speed define the dinner routine. Nearly half of dinners in American homes are ready within five minutes. With a typical frozen pizza, it can take up to 15 minutes to preheat the oven and another 20 minutes to bake, for a total of 35 minutes. In effect, that means frozen pizza has fallen out of the weekday dinner rotation. Crunch Time compresses that entire experience into five minutes. For many parents, the microwave is often the first cooking appliance they allow their children to use because it is much safer than an oven. That means a teenager can come home after school and make a full-size pizza safely in five minutes, even without a parent at home. Crunch Time is a product designed not only for adults, but also for the next generation of consumers. “We want Crunch Time to compete directly with delivery pizza,” Fowler said. “A delivery pizza can cost 12 to 15 USD. We want to offer customers a lower price, greater convenience and better quality so they can save money.” This was not simply about becoming No. 1 in the frozen pizza category but about redefining the market itself — bringing the restaurant and delivery experience into the home. After tasting the pizza, Chairman Lee offered a brief comment: “This is the path we need to take.” A Year From Now, the Fastest-Growing Company in the U.S. Food Market “By the end of this year, you will see,” Chairman Lee said, offering a bold prediction. “Among food companies in the U.S., we’ll be the fastest-growing company. I am confident of that.” “In the past, my goal was for people around the world to listen to Korean music, watch Korean dramas and eat kimchi,” he shared. Now, that dream has become reality. Amid the global rise of the K-wave, Chairman Lee’s next vision is to bring Korean food to more dining tables around the world. Perhaps that is why Chairman Lee turned back one last time after saying his farewells to urge the food business team members to embrace the company’s ultimate goal: “Only One, Next One, Number One.” If Korea and the U.S. come together as one team, the vision that Chairman Lee imagined 30 years ago — for people around the world to enjoy Korean food once or twice a month — may soon become even bigger: a part of everyday life. 📦 The ‘Weather Fairy’ Leaves a Touch of the K-lifestyle in Minnesota As Chairman Lee wrapped up his visit, he introduced himself this way: “People call me the ‘Good Luck Charm.’” The forecast had called for rain during THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson the previous weekend, but when Chairman Lee arrived, the weather stayed clear all day. Minnesota, known for its cold and windy weather, was also filled with sunshine throughout his three-day visit. “That means your lives will be filled with sunshine, too,” Chairman Lee joked. “For the rest of your lives.” Before saying goodbye to employees at CJ Foods, Chairman Lee offered them a taste of the K-lifestyle with gifts from OLIVE YOUNG and TOUS les JOURS, including K-beauty essentials, cakes and macarons. Inside the OLIVE YOUNG shopping bags were signature K-beauty items such as sheet masks and sunscreen — small reminders of Korea’s growing cultural influence around the world. In return, Schwan’s executives presented Chairman Lee with a collection of Minnesota favorites. The gift box captured a slice of everyday life in the state, including a blanket for braving the cold winter, candy and wild rice, Minnesota’s official state grain. “On behalf of the employees gathered here today and more than 8,000 employees across the U.S., we would like to express our deepest gratitude for the time you took to visit our home. We wanted to share a piece of life here in Minnesota with you. This blanket was made to help protect you from the cold. Of course, Chairman Lee, you may not need any extra warmth — you are the Good Weather Charm, after all!” 🔎 Read More From Chairman Lee’s U.S. On-the-Ground Management Series “How CJ Turns Cheers Into Business Momentum at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson” [CJ ON THE GROUND — THE CJ CUP] Chairman Lee’s Dreams for Golf: ‘Dream bigger, goal higher’ [CJ ON THE GROUND – Food] Chairman Lee: ‘Only One, Next One, Number One. 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