Chairman Lee Jay-hyun’s vision of “One Team” came to life through the experiences of leaders helping shape the future of CJ Foods
On May 26, during CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun’s visit to Minnesota, home to CJ Foods in the Americas, an executive roundtable brought together leaders with striking career paths. One had spent 25 years at Coca-Cola. Another had spent 16 years at Kraft Heinz. Before joining CJ, they had built their careers at some of the most iconic names in the U.S. food and beverage industry.
The stories they shared that day were all different. But they all pointed in the same direction.
CJ Team Members Support Each Other Every Step of the Way
Doug Harrington, President of Retail Sales, joined CJ just seven months ago. Compared with the 25 years he spent at Coca-Cola, he is still a newcomer. Yet in that short time, what stood out most to him wasn’t a strategy or slogan. It was something much simpler: people ready to step forward and help.
“CJ Is Different. When You Need Support, There Is Always Someone Close By.“
At CJ, Harrington sees team members ready to step forward at every level of the organization, not only among senior leaders. For an executive who had spent 25 years at the world’s leading beverage company, the real difference he discovered in just seven months at CJ was not a grand vision or business model. It was the people.
His experience reflects the “One Team” spirit that Chairman Lee emphasized throughout his visit — a mindset already being put into practice across CJ Foods in the Americas.
“My Daughter Is My K-influencer“
Kari Ziemer, Chief Human Resources Officer, has spent 15 years at Schwan’s. At the roundtable, she shared a story much closer to home, one about her daughter.
“In 2019, the year CJ acquired Schwan’s, my daughter was 11,” Ziemer said. “That was when she first told me about a little group called BTS. She’s 17 now. She wakes up to K-pop in the morning and watches K-dramas every day after school. Her favorite is “Business Proposal.” In the evening, she puts on a Korean sheet mask and ends her day with more K-pop. Now she’s the one teaching me, her mom, what to apply and what to listen to.”
Ziemer’s story offered a glimpse into CJ’s vision: making the K-lifestyle an everyday reality around the world. At the roundtable, Chairman Lee once again emphasized to employees that CJ is not simply a food company, but a lifestyle company. In many ways, Ziemer’s daughter is living proof of that vision, showing how K-culture is already taking shape in American homes.
“This is how the next generation lives,” Ziemer said. “It’s not just happening in the U.S. and Europe — the rest of the world is following the same shift.” Reflecting on her 15 years at Schwan’s, she added, “I have seen many changes during my time here, but I have never been as excited about the company’s future as I am now.”
“These Were the Words My Late Colleague Loved Most“
The third story came from Federico Arreola, President of the Asian Cuisine Business Unit, who joined CJ after 16 years at Kraft Heinz.
Earlier that day, during the R&D tasting session, the team presented Crunch Time, a full-size pizza that can be cooked in a microwave in just five minutes. After tasting a slice, Chairman Lee offered a simple observation: “This is the path we need to take.”
The moment Arreola heard the remark, his late colleague came to mind.
“Of all Chairman Lee Jay-hyun’s words, these are the ones I like most,” Arreola said. “In fact, they were also the words my late colleague loved most: ‘Run so fast that competitors lose the will to catch up.’”
That philosophy was a decisive reason he came to CJ, and Crunch Time was living proof of that message. It’s about combining innovative technology with the determination to change the market itself — creating such a wide lead that competitors question whether they can catch up at all. During his years at Kraft Heinz, Arreola saw firsthand how quickly a No. 1 position in the industry can be challenged. That is why Chairman Lee emphasizes building the kind of lead that competitors struggle to close. When Arreola finished, Chairman Lee picked up the thread.
To run so fast that competitors lose the will to catch up, he said, CJ must first achieve growth that creates meaningful distance. In categories such as pizza, desserts and K-food, CJ needs a technological edge strong enough to compete with any food company in the world, including international players such as Nestlé, and ultimately become the global No. 1.
A former executive from Coca-Cola. A former leader from Kraft Heinz. A 15-year veteran of Schwan’s. Together, they are running as One Team toward the goal of making CJ Foods the global No. 1 food company. Team members are already stepping forward to help. The K-lifestyle is already taking root in American homes. And market-shaping products that competitors would struggle to match are already being created.
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