It is the first local production facility built in Japan by a Korean food company CJ Foods is accelerating the globalisation of K-food by expanding its presence in the Japanese…

It is the first local production facility built in Japan by a Korean food company

CJ Foods is accelerating the globalisation of K-food by expanding its presence in the Japanese market, led by its flagship product, bibigo mandu. The company announced the completion and launch of operations at its new mandu production plant in Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture in Japan.

Built on a site roughly the size of six soccer fields (42,000 square meters), the Chiba factory covers about 8,200 square meters and represents an investment of approximately 100 billion KRW ($73 million) by CJ Foods. It is the first local production facility built in Japan by a Korean food company. Outfitted with state-of-the-art production lines, the factory will produce bibigo mandu for nationwide distribution. Since 2020, CJ Foods has operated four mandu factories in Osaka, Gunma, Akita and Fukuoka through its acquisition of the local company Gyoza Keikaku. The Chiba plant marks the company’s first direct investment in a manufacturing facility in Japan.

CJ Foods plans to leverage the Chiba plant to accelerate its localisation strategy, ensuring more efficient sourcing of raw materials and product supply, while driving the expansion of its business in Japan. In particular, Japan’s frozen dumpling market — valued at approximately 1.1 trillion KRW ($825 million) annually — offers significant growth potential, as more than half of the market consists of gyoza-style dumplings, which are similar to bibigo mandu. Consumer demand for bibigo mandu has risen sharply in recent years, contributing to a nearly 28 per cent year-on-year increase in CJ Foods’ dumpling sales in Japan during the first half of 2025. Over the same period, the company’s overall food sales in the country grew by about 27 per cent.

The completion ceremony was attended by key executives, including CJ Foods Vice Chairman Kang Sin-ho and Food Business Unit CEO Dr Gregory Yep, as well as officials from Chiba Prefecture and Kisarazu City. Kang remarked, “The Chiba plant represents an important step forward for both the growth and sustainability of our business in Japan. Through constant effort and innovation, we will further accelerate the global expansion of K-food.”