Bibigo gim wins over fans at US soccer, baseball stadiums

CJ CheilJedang said Monday it recently held Bibigo gim sampling events at the home stadiums of Major League Soccer's Los Angeles FC and Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants.

The events were part of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' new Sea-Sports Project, organized by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives to promote Korean gim to sports fans in the United States. CJ CheilJedang participated as a key partner in the federation's "GIM" global integrated brand campaign for Korean gim, taking charge of two of the seven scheduled events and distributing 2,000 Bibigo gim samples.

The first sampling took place at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Aug. 15, timed to coincide with KCON LA, CJ Group's K-culture festival, during an LA FC match against San Diego FC. On Saturday, the company promoted Bibigo gim at Oracle Park in San Francisco during a Giants game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, tying the event to outfielder Lee Jung-hoo's Bobblehead Day promotion.

CJ CheilJedang installed Bibigo banners at both venues and ran online and offline marketing campaigns, including influencer invitations and social media promotions. Influencers shared photos from the events on their personal accounts, posting reactions such as "I was curious about Korean gim, and now that I've tried it I understand why it's so popular," "It has an addictive flavor that keeps you reaching for more, just like a snack," and "It's crispy and clean — perfect for a light bite."

"It was a meaningful opportunity to introduce the distinctive taste of Bibigo gim to sports fans in the United States through our collaboration with the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives," a CJ CheilJedang official said. "We will continue working to help consumers around the world enjoy Korean gim as part of their everyday lives through Bibigo."