CJ CheilJedang is making a full-fledged entry into the plant-based food market that has become a global mega trend.
CJ CheilJedang is releasing vegan-certified, 100% plant-based bibigo mandu products in Korea, Australia and Singapore. The company also launched a new brand specialized in plant-based food, PlanTable, to expand the realm of Korean food and accelerate the speed of implementing CJ Group’s engine for future growth, wellness & sustainability. PlanTable is a combination of ‘plant’ and ‘table,’ and is intended to convey the message that CJ CheilJedang will introduce delicious food using 100% plant-based ingredients.
A total of five new products were launched: bibigo PlanTable Royal Gyoza (original and kimchi flavors), export versions (vegetable and mushroom) and bibigo PlanTable Kimchi. PlanTable products were, in particular, planned in consideration of flexitarians (combination of ‘flexible’ and ‘vegetarian’ meaning a person who has a primarily vegetarian diet but occasionally eats meat or fish), who are increasing rapidly among not only Millennials and Gen Z but also overall consumers.
Bibigo PlanTable Wangyoja, which preserves the taste of Bibigo Wangyoja without using meat, contains fillings made from a combination of over five fresh vegetables and plant-based oil to create the deep flavor that is unique to Bibigo Wangyoja. CJ CheilJedang boosted the crispness of the vegetables with its exclusive technology and diminished the sogginess texture which hinders the taste, while also removing the soy scent using TasteNrich. TasteNrich is the essence of 60 years of CJ CheilJedang’s R&D capabilities. It is the next generation of CJ CheilJedang’s premium seasoning, developed using the savory taste generated in the fermentation process of plant ingredients, such as sugar cane, without any additives or chemical treatment. Global meat alternative manufacturers are racing against one another to use TastNrich in their products. Bibigo PlanTable Kimchi has a fresh, clean taste by using 100% plant-based ingredients without using salted fish.
Two types of bibigo PlanTable Royal Gyoza, vegetable and mushroom for export, and Bibigo PlanTable Kimchi will be exported to Singapore and Australia.
In the pre-launch survey conducted on the taste and quality of Wangyoja in Singapore showed that local consumers were highly satisfied with the taste, achieving far better results than the competition.
Along with the launch of new products, CJ CheilJedang plans to lead the domestic market and expand the domain of Korean food in the global market further with the PlanTable brand.
To that end, CJ CheilJedang will broaden the product lineup and enlarge the business not only in Korea, but also in America, Europe, and the Halal market with upgraded quality. There are a lot of restrictions imposed on meat exports due to quarantine issues, so most products containing meat, including bibigo Mandu, are produced locally. PlanTable products however are made using 100% plant-based products and so they are highly anticipated to be able to enter virtually any country around the world.
Both Bibigo PlanTable original and kimchi Wangyoja were pre-launched on December 17, 2021, through the official CJ CheilJedang online store, CJ The Market, and will be released in series in large distribution channels including Kakao Makers and Market Kurly.
A CJ CheilJedang representative said, “PlanTable’s unrivaled competitiveness lies in its quality and product lineup, both of which are optimized for the globalization of Korean food. We will push ahead with our R&D efforts and technological collaborations with startups in Korea and abroad to lead the market and take active part in the ESG initiatives.”
