CJ Foodville, an affiliate of CJ Group, said on Dec. 26 that it has opened three new restaurants in the U.S. and China that serve “Bibigo,” bringing the total number to 24 in four countries.
Bibigo is a Korean food consisting of mixed rice and vegetables with hot paste, sprinkled with sesame oil. It is being served at the company’s restaurants overseas in such countries as the U.S., China, Britain and Indonesia.
The CJ Group affiliate is exploring markets overseas because the domestic market for their products too crowded, with no room for expansion. It’s not alone. Such food makers as Mister Pizza opened has outlets in Thailand and Vietnam recently to kick starts its plan to explore overseas markets for its food products.
More Korean eateries and food makers are likely to join them on a quest to find new markets. Among them, CJ Foodville in particular has no choice but to look for overseas markets as its domestic operation is hobbled by regulations.
For one, CJ Foodville is considered a large outer eatery company, and therefor, it is not allowed to set up in small alleyways in Korea to protect smaller eateries. The company, for this reason, has been looking to open establishments overseas. In 2016, the company opened 11 new eateries overseas in such countries as the U.S. and China.
In the U.S., CJ Foodville has been marketing Bibigo as a health food, and its strategy has been paying off to some degree with the people recognizing the outlets as a “healthy fast food casual” restaurants.
The company located its restaurants in shopping malls’ food courts next to well-established brands across the U.S. At Bibigo, guests can select the kind of rice, toppings and sauce. one order costs about $7.95.
In China, the outlets are like general-style restaurants in “healthy” surroundings where Korean traditional-style cuisine is served like premium health foods.
Encouraged by the higher-than-average sales of Bibigo overseas, the company plans to double the number of Bibigo outlets in 2017 and to some 300 by 2020.
CJ Foodville currently operates some 350 brands in 10 countries, such as Tour Les Jours, Twosome Coffee, Bibigo, and others. Mister Pizza has a restaurant in Thailand and Vietnam as the launch points in Southeast Asia, and plans to open three more in Vietnam in the first half.
Established in 1953, CheilJedang (CJ) began as a food manufacturing company within the Samsung Corporation. Spinning off from Samsung in 1993, CJ Corporation has developed its business portfolio into four core sectors – Food & Food Service, Bio & Pharma, Entertainment & Media, and Shopping & Logistics. Creating products and services that promote a healthy, happy and convenient lifestyle, CJ has become one of Korea’s most innovative companies.
CJ is at the forefront of spreading Korean cuisine and innovating lifestyles worldwide.
“CJ continuously strives to be innovative with the goal of providing products and services that achieve a high standard of excellence worldwide,” according to the company. Well-known for executing global strategies, CJ now has presence in more than 40 countries. By globalizing Koreans cuisine and spreading Korean culture, CJ hopes to enrich lifestyles across the world.
_비비고델아모.png)
