Korean food company CJ Foods Oceania’s brand, bibigo, is expanding into IGA supermarkets, with six products being stocked including two new dumpling varieties. Bibigo is now available in more than 70 per cent of grocery stores in Australia.
CJ Foods Oceania managing director, Eugene Cha, said the agreement was an opportunity to bring authentic Korean flavours to Australia, tapping into increasing demand for Korean cuisine fuelled by the global phenomenon of K-pop, Korean dramas, and the cultural wave known as hallyu.
“The continued rise of K-culture in Australia has created a wonderful platform for us to introduce our products to mainstream markets. We aim to make quality Korean food accessible, convenient, and a household staple,” Cha said.
The range on offer will include:
- Homestyle Mandu Dumplings Pork 250g
- Homestyle Mandu Dumplings Pork and Kimchi Flavoured 250g
- Homestyle Mandu Dumplings Vegetable 250g
- Steamed Mandu Pork Dumplings 280g
- Steamed Pork and Kimchi Flavoured Mandu Dumplings 280g
- bibigo Crispy Cheese Corn dog 400g
This is the first time bibigo’s Steamed Mandu Pork Dumplings, and Steamed Pork and Kimchi Flavoured Mandu Dumplings will be available in Australian mainstream retail.
Since 2023, CJ Foods Oceania has invested in the Australian market, including a $10 million commitment to establish local production of bibigo products. Partnering with its local contract food manufacturer, the facility produces more than 3500 tonnes of mandu dumplings annually using locally sourced, healthy ingredients. The Australian made products are also exported to New Zealand.
“With our latest entry into IGA, we are poised to further accelerate the expansion of K-food into new areas,” said Cha. “We will continue to enter major distribution channels to ensure that customers can enjoy bibigo products anywhere in Australia.”
Globally, CJ Group generated the annual revenue of $45.4 billion in 2023 and leads the frozen dumpling category in Korea and the US. Locally, CJ Foods Oceania distributes over 200 SKUs, including dumplings, kimchi, instant rice, and seaweed. The company said it achieved roughly 43 per cent cumulative sales growth from Q1 to Q3 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
The company’s media and entertainment arm, CJ ENM, is a broadcasting partner with the Australian Open, and has been since 2022. CJ ENM broadcasts the event to South Korea via the television channel tvN Sports and streaming platform TVING.
