CJ CheilJedang's star-chef collabs hit W37b in first-half sales

CJ CheilJedang said Wednesday that its premium ready-meal products developed in collaboration with chefs from the cooking competition show "Culinary Class Wars" reached cumulative first-half sales of 37 billion won ($24.2 million).

The figure reflects the combined performance of 43 products created with chefs Choi Kang-rok, Yun Na-ra (of Sul Binnun Yunju Mo), Choi Yu-gang and Kwon Seong-jun (of Napoli Matfia). Particularly strong sellers were Choi's "Gourmet Udon" and Yun's "Bibigo Broth Dishes," which together sold more than 2 million packs since their January launch.

Targeting the summer peak season, CJ CheilJedang has introduced new summer noodle products — Pyongyang naengmyeon and perilla oil makguksu — along with a samgyetang, all developed with input from Choi and Yun. The two chefs went through multiple tasting sessions to refine the recipes.

The "Bibigo Pyongyang Naengmyeon" features a rich yet clean brisket broth and is topped with a cucumber-pepper garnish, an idea contributed by Choi. The "Bibigo Perilla Oil Makguksu" was inspired by Choi's widely quoted line from the show — "It's me, perilla oil" — and built around a "triple perilla layer" combining fragrant perilla oil, nutty perilla powder and roasted perilla seeds to deliver a layered, savory depth.

The collaboration with Yun produced "Bibigo Samgyetang," made with a whole domestic chicken to preserve its juicy texture. Burdock root — Yun's signature ingredient — is slow-simmered into the broth to maximize its savory aroma. Designed as a refrigerated product, it aims to replicate the texture of a specialty restaurant dish.

"We will continue working with chefs to develop hit products that combine restaurant-quality taste, reasonable prices and convenience, and lead the premium ready-meal market," a CJ CheilJedang official said.