CJ CheilJedang has begun selling its new dumpling products inside United States military bases in Korea, where dumplings with Korean meat are prohibited. Personnel there are forced to import from the U.S. in accordance with military regulations, said the country’s major food company, Monday.CJ has recently released three new vegan dumpling products into the market here. With its latest move, the company said it has acquired more flexibility regarding its shipments to USFK bases which, up until now, had depended solely on Schwan’s Company, its American subsidiary.CJ on Sunday launched its new Giant Dumpling product with original, japchae and kimchi flavors under Bibigo, the company’s flagship brand for frozen dumplings. Prior to the launch, the company hosted a tasting event for the products at USFK bases for three days starting Friday. One soldier who tasted the japchae-flavored dumplings said that it tasted just like a dumpling that had ground beef in it, according to the company.The company stacked the products in commissaries of four USFK facilities in Korea. For security reasons, the U.S. military declined to identify which bases have chosen to stock the products. Each product is priced at $6.43.
“Entering the market at USFK bases is much harder than other local markets here because of the American authority’s strict standards for products,” a CJ official said. “We’ve invested the past year for this marketing to work out, holding tasting events for Americans and inviting them to our manufacturing plants.”Starting with the USFK sites, CJ said it will expand its vegan dumpling products for American soldiers that are stationed in Guam and Japan. It added it will introduce more vegan products like steamed rice balls and frozen gimbap.CJ’s vegan dumplings contain textured vegetable protein (TVP), a plant-based protein the company has developed to create a flavor and texture similar to real meat. The products also contain TasteNrich, a condiment ingredient the company has developed to add the aroma of peas, a main vegan ingredient to help create a meaty feel and flavor.The products have acquired Europe’s V-Label, a vegan certification, to build the trust of international consumers, according to the company.CJ’s sales of its vegan dumplings last year more than doubled from the previous year.The company’s vegan food products here are sold under its brand Plantable, while the same products for markets overseas are sold under 슬롯놀이터 Bibigo.