CJ CheilJedang shared innovative K-recipes at the National Restaurant Association Show and won honors for five products from bibigo and Seoulfully!
CJ CheilJedang proudly showcased their signature Korean food products at the 2025 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show, held in Chicago from May 17 to 21. Celebrating its 106th year, the NRA Show is the premier global exhibition for the restaurant and foodservice industry, offering a platform to showcase groundbreaking innovations, industry insights, emerging trends and creative solutions. This year’s show featured over 2,225 exhibitors across 900 categories and attracted nearly 50,000 visitors.
CJ CheilJedang hosted booths for its flagship brand, bibigo, as well as its premium B2B Korean sauce brand, Seoulfully!, introducing products and offering tasting experiences that highlight the authentic depth of Korean flavors. To meet growing demand, CJ plans to expand its portfolio in shelf-stable categories, particularly K-sauces.
At the bibigo booth, visitors were treated to a variety of K-food products, including bibigo Gochujang Hot & Sweet Sauce — crafted with CJ’s proprietary fermentation technology — bibigo Mandu and bibigo Egg Rolls. Using these products, renowned chef Jet Tila demonstrated creative recipes on the Culinary Experience stage, making fried dumplings, Philly cheesesteak egg rolls, shrimp egg rolls and breakfast egg rolls, paired with bibigo Gochujang dipping sauce and Gochujang maple dipping sauce.
While bibigo showcased popular K-food products familiar to general consumers, Seoulfully! targeted the U.S. B2B foodservice market as a premium culinary sauce brand. Leveraging traditional Korean jang ingredients and fermentation techniques, Seoulfully! caters to the global gourmet market with versatile sauces that complement a wide range of cuisines, including American, Mexican, Italian and more. The Seoulfully! lineup includes four distinct sauces — Umami, Sweet & Savory, Gochu and Smoky — which were launched in the U.S. foodservice market last year and are now available on major online B2B platforms.
CJ’s products received significant recognition at the expo. bibigo’s Gochujang Hot & Sweet Sauce, Mandu, Spring Rolls and two Seoulfully! sauces, Gochu and Smoky, were honored with the prestigious 2025 Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards. Presented annually, the FABI Awards celebrate innovative and trend-setting products that enhance menus, delight customers and drive industry growth. This year, 39 products were recognized, including five from CJ CheilJedang. The award-winning products were featured in exclusive tasting sessions at the FABI zone.
Visitors to the bibigo and Seoulfully! booths shared enthusiastic feedback: “bibigo Gochujang adds a sweet and spicy kick to any dish, whether it’s chicken wings, burgers or bibimbap,” “Seoulfully! feels like a magic sauce that pairs beautifully with both Eastern and Western dishes, delivering authentic Korean flavors,” and “bibigo Mandu and Rolls are not only delicious on their own but also versatile enough to recreate restaurant-quality meals at home.”
CJ CheilJedang’s booths attracted thousands of visitors from around the world, including key players in the U.S. restaurant and foodservice industry, retail buyers, professional sales and distribution agents and consumers. The company views the NRA Show as a strategic opportunity to introduce its K-food products to major retail channels in the U.S. and beyond.
“We are thrilled by the overwhelming interest and positive feedback from industry professionals, which reaffirm the growth potential of CJ’s K-sauces and K-flavors,” said a CJ CheilJedang representative. “We remain committed to driving the globalization of K-food through innovative products powered by CJ’s unique technologies.”
