Pulmuone's frozen gimbap is gaining popularity through word of mouth via local distribution channels and social media (SNS) in China. As Samyang Foods' Buldak Bokkeumyeon previously sparked a K-food craze in China, it will be interesting to see if Pulmuone's frozen gimbap will continue this trend.
According to the industry on the 29th, Pulmuone's frozen gimbap entered the large Chinese retailer Sam's Club last September. Since then, it has surpassed 2.5 million accumulated sales in the local market in just 11 months. Sam's Club is a type of warehouse store similar to Costco. The total sales amount in the local market reached 53 million yuan (approximately 10.4 billion won).
Pulmuone established its local Chinese corporation, 'Pumeitueo Foods,' in 2010. Based on cold chain logistics in China, it manufactures and distributes various refrigerated and frozen processed foods. For frozen gimbap, Pulmuone's goal was to sell 1.86 million units annually, which has been exceeded.
In addition to its tuna frozen gimbap currently being sold in China, Pulmuone plans to sign an original equipment manufacturing (OEM) contract with a Chinese food manufacturing and processing company this October to expand its product range. Due to strict regulations on importing ingredients into China, it is difficult to bring in other foodstuffs. However, by utilizing OEM, they can source local ingredients like meat to expand their frozen gimbap product line.
Recently, Pulmuone's frozen gimbap is being talked about locally as 'a convenient and luxurious Korean meal.' Numerous videos and reviews of people tasting Pulmuone's frozen gimbap have been posted on the popular Chinese SNS platforms used mainly by the MZ generation (born from the late 1980s to early 2000s), including Xiaohongshu, Douyin (Chinese TikTok), and Weibo, with posts describing it as 'Korean restaurant gimbap that just needs to be heated up.'
This trend is evaluated by the industry as being similar to when Samyang Foods' Buldak Bokkeumyeon began to establish itself in the Chinese market. Launched in 2012, Buldak Bokkeumyeon gained popularity in China following the worldwide spread of the 'Buldak Bokkeumyeon Challenge' initiated by the YouTube channel 'Korean Englishman' between 2014 and 2015.
Samyang Foods began selling Buldak Bokkeumyeon in China in earnest in 2016. At that time, the public export scale was 40.1 billion won. Currently, China accounts for 29% of Samyang Foods' total overseas sales. In the first quarter of this year, Samyang Foods' overseas sales amounted to 424 billion won.
The food industry is paying close attention to whether Pulmuone's frozen gimbap has the potential to 'hit the jackpot' like Samyang Foods' Buldak Bokkeumyeon. Just as Buldak Bokkeumyeon gained international recognition through YouTube challenges and content that swept the globe, the popularity of Pulmuone's frozen gimbap is also spreading primarily through Chinese SNS.
An industry insider noted, "As perceptions of frozen foods have changed and consumption of Korean dramas and K-pop has increased, there is a trend of young people in China, who have become accustomed to Korean culture, purchasing K frozen gimbap in large quantities." He added, "If Pulmuone's frozen gimbap can maintain its current popularity, it may change the landscape of the ready-to-eat market in China, similar to Buldak Bokkeumyeon."
Lee Jong-woo, a professor at Ajou University, remarked, "The number of people looking for frozen gimbap has increased due to the K-food craze, and it's advantageous for it to stand out under a unique brand name like CJ CheilJedang's 'Bibigo' or Buldak Bokkeumyeon." He emphasized, "The key to success will be how to create and instill a core brand name for local frozen gimbap and set trends."