You’ll Never Guess Which Korean Food Is Flying Off Shelves in the U.S. and Europe

There’s a Korean food product quietly dominating grocery store freezers—not just in Korea, but across the U.S., Europe, Australia, and even the Middle East.

CJ CheilJedang’s Bibigo Mandu (Korean-style dumplings) has exploded in popularity abroad, building on its domestic success to become a global phenomenon. Thanks to aggressive overseas expansion, localized recipes, and smart distribution strategies, Bibigo’s dumplings are now stocked in major supermarkets worldwide—and selling fast.

Bibigo is proving its global influence, recently announcing worldwide K-pop superstars SEVENTEEN as their official global brand ambassador. Through strategic partnerships with popular idol groups like SEVENTEEN, the brand is successfully connecting with Gen Z consumers—further accelerating the global spread of Korean food and consumer products.

Why Bibigo Dumplings Are Winning Globally

Unlike traditional Chinese-style dumplings that tend to be heavy and meat-focused, Bibigo Mandu features a thin wrapper and a lighter, veggie-forward filling. The result is a healthier, more convenient dumpling experience—perfectly bite-sized for today’s on-the-go lifestyles. For international markets, CJ even tailored the product to suit local tastes. In the U.S., for instance, the company introduced a Chicken & Cilantro version to better align with regional flavor preferences.

Expanding Footprint and Record Sales

The turning point came in 2019 when CJ acquired Schwan’s Company, the second-largest frozen food company in the U.S. With access to over 60,000 retail outlets, CJ quickly built a robust B2C distribution network. By 2020, Bibigo Mandu had already surpassed 1 trillion KRW (approx. $700M USD) in global annual sales. In 2023, Bibigo captured 41% of the U.S. dumpling market share, ranking No.1 among competitors.

In Europe, CJ purchased Germany’s Mainfrost in 2018 and established a UK office in 2022, expanding its reach to France, Spain, and beyond. As a result, European sales topped 100 billion KRW last year alone.

Down under, Bibigo products are now available at major Australian retailers including Woolworths, Coles, and IGA—securing shelf space in over 80% of major outlets.

Adapting to Trends: Plant-Based and Halal Options

CJ is also keeping pace with health-conscious consumers. In late 2021, it launched a plant-based PlanTable Mandu, which tripled its export volume year-over-year by Q3 2023.

The product is now exported to 40 countries, a tenfold increase from its initial 10-market launch. Since April last year, Bibigo has also supplied products to U.S. military bases in Korea.

The company is actively targeting the halal food market as well. In January 2023, CJ introduced halal-certified versions of Bibigo Chicken, Spicy Chicken, and Bulgogi dumplings in Malaysia, with plans to expand across Muslim-majority regions to reach a potential audience of 2 billion consumers worldwide.

CJ CheilJedang aims to establish Bibigo as the go-to global HMR (home meal replacement) brand for Korean frozen foods, by localizing recipes and adapting to regional food cultures.

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