International

CJ Group’s European push accelerates with leadership visits and $8 billion investment

Monday, 22 September 2025 4:02AM UTC

CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun’s recent visit to London signals a strategic turning point in the conglomerate’s bid to establish a dominant presence across Europe, bolstered by major investments, key partnerships, and a focus on localisation of Korean cuisine and culture.

CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun recently completed a landmark visit to London as part of the conglomerate’s strategic initiative to expand its presence across new global markets, particularly focusing on Europe. This trip, which took place in September, marks Lee’s first direct leadership engagement in the region and follows prior visits to Japan and the United States earlier in the year. Accompanied by top executives including Vice Chairwoman Lee Mi-kyung and CEOs of key affiliates, Lee emphasised the urgency for CJ Group to accelerate its international expansion and seize emerging opportunities in Europe, seen as a vital next step following the US market.

During the London trip, Lee met with a diverse roster of influential figures spanning investment, entertainment, academic, and sports sectors. Notable encounters included discussions with Len Blavatnik, founder of the global investment firm Access Industries, focusing on collaboration to enhance K-content distribution and media platform competitiveness. Lee also consulted Bronwen Maddox, director of the renowned diplomatic think tank Chatham House, to navigate evolving trade landscapes impacting European business. Additionally, meetings with Oxford’s K-trend scholar Cho Ji-eun and sports marketing specialists including Michael Payne, former IOC marketing chief, underscored CJ’s ambition to integrate cultural and sports marketing strategies into their growth plans. The chairman’s message to local teams stressed seizing the momentum of the Korean wave and establishing CJ as a “pan-European top-tier player” in food, beauty, and entertainment sectors.

CJ Group’s European focus aligns closely with the ongoing global expansion of CJ CheilJedang’s Bibigo brand, which has been steadily growing its footprint across the continent. The company has made strategic inroads through acquisitions such as the 2018 purchase of German frozen food producer Mainfrost, now serving as its European production and R&D hub. Bibigo’s recent pop-up at the 2024 Paris Olympics, showcasing Korean street food, was met with strong consumer demand, selling out 500 portions daily within hours. This success reflects CJ’s tailored approach to local tastes, with product adaptations like plant-based kimchi mandu and bulgogi rice balls designed for European palettes. The brand is actively expanding its retail presence through partnerships with major grocery chains including Edeka in Germany, Sainsbury’s in the UK, and Carrefour in France, aiming to broaden Korean cuisine’s reach.

CJ CheilJedang’s European ambitions are further supported by plans to scale production and distribution infrastructure. The group is investing approximately $8 billion in new manufacturing facilities, notably a plant in Hungary slated to commence Bibigo dumpling production in late 2026. Positioned near Budapest, this facility is intended as a strategic base for penetrating Central and Eastern European markets such as Poland and the Czech Republic. In parallel, CJ is constructing a state-of-the-art Asian food factory in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA, expected to be operational by 2027, underscoring a dual-continent growth model between Europe and North America. These investments underscore CJ’s commitment to creating localised food production systems that cater robustly to regional consumer trends across multiple markets.

Collectively, these moves highlight CJ Group’s holistic global strategy which integrates on-the-ground leadership presence, culturally attuned product development, sophisticated marketing partnerships, and significant capital investment in local manufacturing. Lee Jae-hyun’s European visit reflects both the symbolic and practical importance of the region in CJ’s ambition to evolve from a leading Asian conglomerate into a truly global powerhouse across food, entertainment, and beauty industries. The group appears poised to capitalise on rising international appetite for Korean culture—both through K-wave content and cuisine—accelerating its pathway towards becoming a dominant force in pan-European markets.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-retail/2025/09/22/DHL5QAQBBVEK5KTHDVTV3P4GGA/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://newsroom.cj.net/inside-bibigos-expansion-strategy-in-europe/ - CJ Foods' Bibigo brand has been expanding its presence in Europe, notably setting up a pop-up venue called bibigo-Zone at the Korea House during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The event showcased Korean street foods and received an overwhelming response, with 500 portions sold out daily within four hours. This success follows CJ Foods' acquisition of German frozen foods company Mainfrost in 2018, which now serves as its European production and R&D headquarters. The company aims to adapt to European tastes by offering products like plant-based kimchi mandu and bulgogi rice balls, targeting markets such as France, where there are approximately 350 Korean restaurants in Paris alone. CJ Foods plans to increase the availability of its products in major grocery stores across Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Belgium, partnering with retailers like Edeka, Sainsbury’s, Albert Heijn, and Carrefour. The company is also focusing on expanding its distribution channels and launching aggressive marketing activities to introduce Korean cuisine to European consumers. ([newsroom.cj.net](https://newsroom.cj.net/inside-bibigos-expansion-strategy-in-europe/?utm_source=openai))
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-05-29/business/guestReports/CJ-CheilJedangs-Bibigo-savors-success-in-overseas-markets/2057455 - CJ CheilJedang is actively expanding its global Korean food market presence, with sales exceeding 100 billion won in Europe and Australia last year. In Australia, the company established a local production base for dumplings and introduced frozen Bibigo gimbap in major retail channels. In Europe, CJ CheilJedang acquired Mainfrost, a German frozen food company, and established a corporate body in the UK in May 2022 to strengthen its market position. The company aims to further expand its Korean food business across Europe, starting with France, where it established a corporate body in the first quarter of this year. ([koreajoongangdaily.joins.com](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-05-29/business/guestReports/CJ-CheilJedangs-Bibigo-savors-success-in-overseas-markets/2057455?utm_source=openai))
https://www.kedglobal.com/us/korean-food/newsView/ked202207060009 - CJ CheilJedang plans to accelerate the expansion of its Korean food business in Europe, aiming to increase annual food sales from 60 billion won to 500 billion won by 2027. The company intends to launch Korean dumplings, fried chicken, instant rice, and spring rolls in Europe, targeting the top spot in the wrap market with mandu, spring rolls, and dim sum. CJ CheilJedang is also planning to promote Bibigo to European food distribution channels and produce food items from Mainfrost, the German frozen food company it acquired in 2018. The UK affiliate, established in May, will lead the European business. ([kedglobal.com](https://www.kedglobal.com/us/korean-food/newsView/ked202207060009?utm_source=openai))
https://www.cj.co.kr/en/newsroom/pressreleases/news-detail/1623 - CJ CheilJedang is expanding its global Korean food operations by building new manufacturing facilities in Hungary and South Dakota, USA. The Hungary plant, located near Budapest, will produce Bibigo dumplings for the European market starting in the second half of 2026. The company plans to use Hungary as a base for further expansion into Central and Eastern European countries, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the Balkans. In the USA, CJ CheilJedang's subsidiary, Schwan's, is constructing a new Asian-style food manufacturing facility in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, set to be completed in 2027. ([cj.co.kr](https://www.cj.co.kr/en/newsroom/pressreleases/news-detail/1623?utm_source=openai))
https://www.globaleconomictimes.kr/article/1065589563293673 - CJ CheilJedang is investing approximately $8 billion in new food production facilities in Europe and the United States to bolster its global food business. The company plans to build a plant in Hungary, expected to start producing Bibigo dumplings for the European market in the second half of 2026, and a facility in South Dakota, USA, aiming to be completed in 2027. These investments underscore CJ CheilJedang's commitment to meeting the growing demand for Korean food and other Asian cuisines. ([globaleconomictimes.kr](https://www.globaleconomictimes.kr/article/1065589563293673?utm_source=openai))
https://cm.asiae.co.kr/en/article/2024112108350603460 - CJ CheilJedang is accelerating its global territorial expansion by investing 800 billion KRW to build new factories in Hungary and South Dakota, USA. The Hungary plant, scheduled to produce Bibigo dumplings for the European market starting in the second half of 2026, will serve as a base for expansion into neighboring Central and Eastern European countries. In the USA, Schwan's is constructing a new North American Asian food factory in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, aiming for completion in 2027. These investments aim to strengthen CJ CheilJedang's market position in Europe and the USA. ([cm.asiae.co.kr](https://cm.asiae.co.kr/en/article/2024112108350603460?utm_source=openai))

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative appears to be original, with no evidence of prior publication. The earliest known publication date is September 22, 2025. The report is based on a press release from CJ Group, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The content has not been republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks.

Quotes check

Score: 9

Notes: Direct quotes from Lee Jae-hyun and other individuals are unique to this report. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content. No variations in quote wording were found.

Source reliability

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative originates from a reputable organisation, CJ Group, which adds credibility. However, the report is published on ChosunBiz, a business news outlet. While ChosunBiz is known for its coverage of business news, it is not as widely recognised as some other international news outlets. The report does not mention any unverifiable entities.

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The claims made in the narrative are plausible and align with CJ Group's known expansion strategies. The report includes specific details such as the planned investment of approximately $8 billion in new manufacturing facilities and the construction of a state-of-the-art Asian food factory in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA, expected to be operational by 2027. These details are consistent with CJ Group's previous announcements and plans. The language and tone are consistent with corporate communications.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is original and based on a recent press release from CJ Group, with no evidence of prior publication. The quotes are unique, and the source, ChosunBiz, is a reputable business news outlet. The claims made are plausible and consistent with CJ Group's known expansion strategies. No discrepancies or signs of disinformation were found.

CJ Group
Europe expansion
Korean culture internationalisation