CJ Jeiljedang has come out with diverse naengmyeon products, including “Dongchimi Mul (Water) Naengmyeon,” made with the fermenting of radish produced from Jeju Island, cabbage, red pepper, fruit and green parts of radish. (Photos:CJ Jeiljedang)

Naengmyeon, or cold noodles in chilled broth, is a favorite of many Koreans to beat the heat during summer. Now CJ Jeiljedang has come out with diverse naengmyeon products tailored to meet customers’ tastes. 

One of CJ Jeiljedang’s representative naengmyeon products is Dongchimi Mul (Water) Naengmyeon, made with fermented radishes produced on Jeju Island, cabbage, red pepper, fruit and green parts of radish. CJ Jeiljedang said the release of the naengmyeon product is designed to reproduce the traditional Korean Dongchimi (radish water kimchi). The latest naemyeong product contains twice the conventional amount of buckwheat flour, giving it a nuttier taste. Hamheung Bibm Naemyeonm, fermented with six kinds of fruits to make it hot and sweet, is one of CJ Jeiljedang’s mainstay products. The fruits, including pears, apples, pomegranates, plums and grapefruits, are fermented for 72 hours under low temperatures. 

CJ Jeiljedang has also released “Jeil Jaemyeonso Busan Milmyeon”; “Jeil Jaemyeonso Sokcho Kotari Naengmyeon”; and “Jeil Jaemyeonso Maemil Makguksoo,” employing each region’s specialty food recipes. Jeil Jaemyeonso is a premium refrigerated noodle brand. Jeil Jaemyeonso Busan Milmyeon is a soft, yet glutinous noodle flavored by cool Dongchimi broth and spicy seasonings. 

“This summer is forecast to be hotter than last summer, and products tailored to customers’ demand for conventional naengmyeon taste and quality will likely enjoy popularity,” said Lee Dong-joon, a manager in charge of naengmyeon at CJ Jeiljeding. 

CJ Plans to Expand Overseas Business

CJ Group Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik has disclosed the 2016 management policies, which he says are designed to expand the group’s business portfolio abroad. 

Chairman Sohn made the remarks at a meeting with reporters on the sidelines of the 2016 New Year’s gathering of people from economics circles at COEX in Seoul on Jan. 6. “We plan to implement more projects in foreign countries this year,” he said. “We will do business in any country where we can earn money,” he added. 

Chairman Sohn would not detail any plans on M&As in foreign countries. He did not rule out the possibility of M&As, saying only that CJ has been engaged in China in the past. CJ acquired Rokin, a Chinese logistics company, in 2015. Asked about CJ’s possible acquisition of Coway, he said CJ was watching the situation closely.

Regarding the current status of Korea’s exporting industry, Chairman Sohn said Korea has put up a good defense, and other countries saw exports decline as Korea did. 

CJ is grappling with a management vacuum, caused by the absence of CJ Chairman Lee Jay-hyun. The business Group has put on hold massive personnel changes and investment plans for the past few years. Overcoming the difficulties, the business group plans to accelerate its efforts to make inroads into global markets by making the most of hallyu (Korean Wave)-related content in such areas as food and entertainment fields. CJ Group plans to expand exports of the food brand “Bibigo,” which was designed to promote traditional Korean cuisine culture overseas. Under the brand Bibigo, CJ Jeiljedang has five strategic exports, including refrigerated mandu (dumpling) and kimchi. CJ Foodville runs 14 Bibigo outlets in six countries, including the United States and United Kingdom. 

CJ, which operates some 230 outlets in 10 countries under such other brands as Tous Les Jours, Twosome Coffee and Vips, devotes itself to realizing a vision of making people around the world eat Korean food once or twice a month. 

As part of efforts to expand volunteer activities, CJ operates bread-making schools in such areas as Indonesia and Vietnam.