CJ CheilJedang is beginning full-scale commercialization by breaking ground on a “land-based seaweed aquaculture commercial facility” to secure a stable global supply chain.

CJ CheilJedang announced on the 15th that it will break ground in August on a “land-based seaweed aquaculture commercial facility” in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. The company explained that this move is intended to respond to expanding global demand for K-gim (Korean dried seaweed) and to the climate crisis, including rising seawater temperatures.

In fact, overseas demand for gim has surged along with the spread of Korean culture. According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea’s gim exports reached a record high last year of US$1.13 billion (about KRW 1.7 trillion).

CJ CheilJedang has been developing land-based gim aquaculture technology since 2018, the first in the domestic food industry to do so. After succeeding in cultivating gim in a 3-ton tank in 2021 and subsequently securing a dedicated variety in 2022, the company has now entered the commercialization stage following a research and development (R&D) process.

The facility is scheduled for completion in the first half of next year, and the volume produced there will be launched as “bibigo gim” products. The company also plans to build a regional, coexistence-oriented aquaculture model in cooperation with local governments and fishermen in the future.

Once the facility is operational, gim, which until now could only be harvested in winter, will be able to be produced year-round. Through the commercial facility, CJ CheilJedang aims to secure a stable global supply chain and preempt future food demand in line with rising consumption.

Adam Ricardone, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in charge of R&D, said, “This facility will serve as a crucial test bed for applying more than 10 years of accumulated land-based aquaculture technology to industrial sites and as a forward base for opening a sustainable future for K-food,” adding, “We plan to further accelerate commercialization so that domestic and overseas consumers can enjoy delicious and fresh ‘bibigo gim’ in all four seasons.”

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