As Korean food brands continue to gain visibility in U.S. grocery aisles and across global markets, CJ CheilJedang is moving to deepen that momentum by expanding its presence in Southeast Asia through a new partnership in Thailand.
The Korean food manufacturer, whose Bibigo products have steadily grown in major American retailers, has signed a distribution agreement with CP Extra, the country’s largest retail operator and part of the conglomerate CP Group.
The partnership gives CJ CheilJedang access to one of Southeast Asia’s most extensive retail networks. CP Extra operates the Makro warehouse chain and the Lotus’s supermarket banner, which together run more than two thousand seven hundred stores nationwide.
By integrating its Bibigo line into these channels, CJ CheilJedang aims to widen the reach of products such as Bibigo stir-fried noodles, kimchi, dumplings, and other ready-to-cook items that have also been gaining traction among American shoppers.
Thailand has become an increasingly important market for global food companies thanks to its young consumer base, strong appetite for international cuisine, and deep familiarity with Korean culture—interest that mirrors trends seen in the United States.
Its position as a regional economic hub also makes it a gateway into markets like Malaysia and the Philippines, where CP Group already operates and where the companies are considering future expansion.
CJ CheilJedang plans to extend its presence not only through retail shelves but also through food-service channels.
The company will work with Makro, which has a large customer base of restaurants and cafés, to build out B2B product lines and run coordinated promotional efforts.
CP Extra, leveraging Bibigo’s growing global profile, intends to significantly increase its in-store K-food assortment.
CJ CheilJedang entered the Thai market in 2023 and has since rolled out Bibigo dumplings, kimchi, and stir-fried noodles through Makro, Lotus’s, and 7-Eleven. Thailand was also the first country worldwide to launch Bibigo stir-fried noodles, which quickly gained popularity.
The expansion comes as CJ CheilJedang’s overseas food revenue continues to climb—from about $2.1 billion in 2019 to $3.7 billion last year, a seventy-seven percent increase over five years.
Through the third quarter of this year, overseas sales reached $2.9 billion, accounting for more than half of the company’s total food revenue.
To sustain its global push, the company has been forming partnerships with major regional players, including Japan’s Itochu and UAE-based Al Khyat Investments.
