Daesang’s Jongga and Michelin chef Corey Lee launch San Ho Won Kimchi to tap growing U.S. gourmet market

Daesang Corporation, a leading South Korean food conglomerate and global kimchi powerhouse, has intensified its international push through a high-profile collaboration between its flagship kimchi brand, Jongga, and Michelin 3-star chef Corey Lee. The result: the San Ho Won Kimchi line—two premium kimchi offerings tailored to the U.S. market and designed to elevate Korea’s iconic fermented dish into a staple of gourmet cuisine.

Although Daesang Corporation is privately held and not publicly traded, the implications of this launch are far-reaching for the global fermented foods segment, which has surged in both popularity and profitability over the last decade. Kimchi, once seen primarily as a side dish in Korean households, is now being repositioned as a global health food with premium potential. The Jongga-San Ho Won launch underlines this shift, as the product blends artisanal craftsmanship with scalable manufacturing, and cultural heritage with market sophistication.

This premium line—featuring a robust, umami-rich Original Kimchi and a refreshing, mild Baek Kimchi—symbolizes Jongga’s response to evolving global tastes and the increasing Western appetite for healthy, probiotic-rich fermented products. With demand accelerating, particularly in the United States, Daesang’s move to align itself with a Michelin-caliber chef is both strategic and symbolic.

How Does San Ho Won Kimchi Represent the Next Evolution in Korean Food Globalization?

This launch is more than a commercial venture—it is an act of culinary diplomacy. At the center of it is Corey Lee, a Korean-American chef with deep roots in both Korean cuisine and Western fine dining. The chef behind Benu (3 Michelin stars) and San Ho Won (1 Michelin star), both located in San Francisco, Lee brings extraordinary credibility and cultural nuance to the partnership.

The products themselves reflect this duality. The Original Kimchi, featuring cheonggak (a seaweed rich in micronutrients) and a vegetable broth, offers a dense, spicy flavor profile tailored for consumers looking for authentic heat and depth. The Baek Kimchi (white kimchi), meanwhile, is fermented at lower temperatures, producing a lighter, mildly tangy flavor profile enhanced with apple and designed to appeal to those less familiar with traditional Korean spice levels.

Both versions come pre-cut in 680-gram resealable pouches, merging traditional preparation with modern packaging—an example of how Jongga is fusing centuries-old Korean culinary expertise with Western convenience standards.

What Does This Mean for Daesang Corporation’s Global Kimchi Ambitions?

Daesang Corporation’s strategy to globalize kimchi is not new—but the San Ho Won initiative marks a bold pivot toward premiumization. Since 2016, Daesang’s kimchi export revenue has more than tripled, rising from $29 million to $93.9 million in 2023. The company projects that its Jongga brand will become the first single-label kimchi brand to surpass $100 million in global exports by the end of 2025.

This export surge coincides with strong global consumer trends favoring fermented foods, which are increasingly linked to gut health and immune support. Markets across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia (particularly Taiwan and Hong Kong) are proving receptive. The U.S. market alone has become a strategic frontier, supported by growing Asian-American demographics and rising interest in Korean pop culture and cuisine.

In 2022, Daesang became the first Korean food company to establish a large-scale kimchi production facility in the United States. This gave it a competitive edge by ensuring faster supply chain turnarounds, better control over freshness, and improved scalability in North America. With its eyes now set on Europe, Daesang is planning a new production facility in Poland to meet rising demand across the EU.

Why Is the U.S. Market Critical for Jongga’s Premium Brand Strategy?

The United States is not just a market of size but one of influence. Trends that take off in the U.S. often ripple globally. By launching San Ho Won Kimchi through H Mart—a leading Korean-American supermarket chain with national reach—Daesang ensures visibility among both Korean diaspora and non-Korean adventurous eaters. Plans to expand distribution to major online platforms will further widen access, allowing Jongga to tap into e-commerce-driven health food segments.

This positions Jongga squarely within a fast-growing niche: the crossover between ethnic cuisine and wellness. Gourmet grocery consumers increasingly value authenticity, functionality, and story-driven branding—all of which the San Ho Won product line embodies.

Furthermore, Daesang’s strategy of partnering with a chef like Corey Lee not only adds aspirational value to the product but also acts as a halo for its broader portfolio. This is particularly relevant as U.S. retailers and restaurants seek premium, authentic Korean products to meet demand generated by the Korean Wave (Hallyu) and wellness-focused food movements.

What Are the Institutional and Analyst Reactions to Jongga’s Global Premium Strategy?

While Daesang Corporation is not listed on the Korea Exchange (KRX) or any global bourse, the broader sentiment in the food and beverage (F&B) sector has been favorable toward its global strategy. Institutional analysts covering the South Korean FMCG space view Daesang’s export-led growth and localization approach as a model for scaling traditional products in international markets.

The use of Western culinary influencers, combined with localized production and aggressive retail expansion, reflects a sophisticated global playbook. If Daesang were listed, this premium product line could be viewed as an EPS-accretive diversification, with potential to lift gross margins and brand equity across markets. Investors would likely interpret this as a “buy” signal within the context of an export-driven growth model supported by hard assets (plants in the U.S. and Poland) and soft power (Michelin-level partnerships).

The broader fermented foods sector is also benefiting. Global players in probiotics, fermented beverages, and health-focused condiments are seeing inflows from both retail and institutional investors. Daesang’s moves may fuel increased interest in allied sectors like cold-chain logistics, health food retail, and specialized fermentation technology.

How Does This Tie into Broader Trends in Fermented Food Demand and Cultural Localization?

Fermented foods have seen a dramatic rise in consumer interest over the past decade, with kimchi now standing shoulder-to-shoulder with kombucha, kefir, and sauerkraut on health store shelves. Industry research projects that the global fermented food market will reach over $900 billion by 2030, with CAGR rates above 6%. Much of this growth is being driven by Western markets that are adopting traditional Asian foods for their health benefits.

At the same time, the localization of ethnic foods—making them more accessible and palatable for global consumers—is reshaping global F&B strategies. Daesang’s Jongga has embraced this trend through smart ingredient curation, adjusted spice levels, and chef-driven marketing narratives that elevate Korean dishes from the exotic to the everyday gourmet.

By embedding itself into high-end culinary spaces, Jongga is not merely exporting a product—it’s exporting a narrative of Korean identity, quality, and modernity. The San Ho Won Kimchi line represents a fusion of these values and sets a high bar for other Asian brands aspiring to go global.

What Can Consumers and Investors Expect Next from Daesang Corporation?

The road ahead appears dynamic. Daesang is expected to continue expanding the Jongga portfolio beyond traditional napa cabbage kimchi into other Korean banchan (side dishes) such as kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), chonggak kimchi (ponytail radish), and premium pickled vegetables, with potential for plant-based and organic variations.

Given the early success of the San Ho Won collaboration, further chef-led or brand-crossover launches are likely. Additionally, Daesang may pursue strategic joint ventures or acquisitions in logistics and refrigeration to consolidate its supply chain advantage globally.

Analysts tracking the Korean F&B sector anticipate continued M&A activity, particularly in the premium Asian food segment. If Daesang were to list in the future, its global strategy—anchored by the Jongga brand—would likely become a major component of its valuation narrative.

The launch of San Ho Won Kimchi is a turning point not just for Daesang’s Jongga but for the global perception of Korean cuisine. By combining cultural authenticity with culinary refinement, Daesang has created a bridge between tradition and innovation, East and West, mass and premium. As fermented foods continue their ascent in global wellness and gourmet segments, Daesang’s bet on collaboration, localization, and premium storytelling appears to be paying off—with market expansion, consumer acclaim, and institutional interest all moving in its favor.