The shelf-stable kimchi sauce, created with CJ Foods’ proprietary fermentation technology, will be distributed to 12 countries globally to be served at local Asian restaurants
As global interest in K-culture and K-food continues to grow, CJ Foods has taken a major step to accelerate the expansion of Korean cuisine worldwide by introducing a versatile B2B sauce made from kimchi, Korea’s traditional fermented food, to overseas markets.
CJ Foods announced on August 28 that it will begin full-scale distribution of its All-Purpose Kimchi Cooking Sauce to 12 countries including several in Europe starting in early September, allowing buyers to easily prepare a variety of kimchi-based dishes. The export destinations include the UK, France, Japan, Brazil, Chile, Uzbekistan and Guam, and the kimchi-flavored dishes made with the sauce will primarily be served at local Asian restaurants. With this versatile cooking sauce — ideal for a range of dishes from kimchi fried rice to kimchi burritos — the company plans to actively expand its presence in the global B2B market.
By incorporating the sauce into both main and side dishes at restaurants, catering services and hotels where consumers already have a high level of exposure to K-food, CJ Foods seeks to make kimchi more familiar and accessible. This approach is also designed to naturally pave the way for a future expansion into household consumer products worldwide.
Kimchi has gained recognition in the global food ingredients market for its healthy fermented flavors and crisp, tangy taste. Rather than offering a watered-down or fusion version of K-food, CJ Foods aims to promote authentic Korean cuisine rooted in traditional kimchi dishes on the international stage.
However, challenges such as fermentation, flavor changes over time, and difficulties in distribution and storage have limited its mainstream adoption worldwide. The All-Purpose Kimchi Cooking Sauce addresses these obstacles, offering a breakthrough solution for the global popularization of kimchi-based cuisine. It enables chefs, caterers and restaurant operators around the world to easily and conveniently serve consistent dishes that retain the authentic taste of kimchi. Currently, products of this kind are rare to find both in Korea and abroad.
The All-Purpose Kimchi Cooking Sauce is distinguished by its unchanging flavor quality and versatile functionality, made possible through CJ’s proprietary next-generation fermentation technology. By carefully controlling the fermentation process of selected ingredients, CJ Foods has succeeded in preserving the refreshing taste and rich flavor of well-aged kimchi while ensuring consistent quality across every batch. The product also boasts an impressive shelf life of 18 months at room temperature. This breakthrough technology was officially filed for patent protection in July.
According to Euromonitor, a leading market research company, the global foodservice B2B market was valued at approximately 4,500 trillion KRW last year (3.24 trillion USD), having grown by around 40% over the past five years. When additional distribution channels such as schools, hospital catering and the military are included, the market becomes even larger. Within this landscape, the Asian cuisine category has been expanding at a double-digit rate annually.
At the end of last year, CJ Foods established a dedicated global B2B division and has since been accelerating the business forward. In the first half of 2025, the company expanded its B2B reach by introducing the Bite-sized Choco Churros — previously supplied to McDonald’s Korea — into McDonald’s Hong Kong. It has also partnered with China’s spicy mala hotpot franchise Yang Guo Fu and the multinational food and beverage company Uni-President Enterprises Corporation to introduce kimchi-based broth and kimchi bibim noodles using the All-Purpose Kimchi Cooking Sauce. In addition, CJ has been actively proposing a variety of Korean menu items to restaurants across Europe and Asia. Looking ahead, the company plans to further expand its authentic Korean kimchi cuisine to regions including the Americas and Oceania.
“The All-Purpose Kimchi Cooking Sauce has been drawing significant interest in ingredients markets such as Europe, Japan and China, and we are also receiving continuous export requests from regions like the Middle East, where climate conditions make it difficult to access fresh kimchi,” a CJ Foods official stated. “By introducing a wider range of Korean flavors — such as gochujang sauce and bulgogi sauce — designed for greater convenience in global foodservice, we aim to take the lead in accelerating the globalization of K-food.”
