WINNERS GALLERY

Jongga, the first packaged Kimchi brand in Korea, has established itself not only domestically but also as a leading Kimchi brand overseas. In the 1980s, ahead of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the Korean government aimed to promote Kimchi. Renowned Kimchi artisans, including the Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 38 and inheritor of Joseon royal cuisine, the late Hwang Hye-sung, gathered to create standardized recipes. The brand name ‘Jonggajip’ was chosen to signify the standardization of the traditional taste passed down through generations. In October 2022, Jonggajip unveiled a new brand identity as ‘Jongga’ and declared its leap into a global brand.

Since its initial launch in 1988, Jongga has maintained its commitment to using ‘100% domestic ingredients,’ selecting only the highest quality ingredients for Kimchi. From cabbage to peppers, garlic, and onions, all ingredients are directly supplied from their places of origin. Moreover, Jongga ensures the highest standards of hygiene through foreign substance detection, X-ray inspection, and process-specific hygiene control systems. It obtained certifications such as △ISO9001 in 2001, △HACCP in 2004, and △became the first in the Kimchi producer to receive LOHAS certification in 2008.

Jongga acquired the patent on the packaging technology ensuring that its Kimchi retains its flavor over time. In 1989, it successfully developed technology to incorporate a gas absorbent into the Kimchi packaging to reduce carbon dioxide, leading to a patent application the following year. In 1991, it became the first in the industry to receive the KS mark. By 1995, it had received the Traditional Food Certification Mark and was selected as a world-class product.

Since 2001, Jongga has been conducting research on isolating and culturing Kimchi probiotics. In 2005, it succeeded in culturing the Kimchi probiotic ‘Leuconostoc DRC0211,’ which replicates the taste of homemade Kimchi. In 2017, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, it developed a superior Kimchi fermentation strain with excellent flavor and fermentation capabilities. Daesang named the Kimchi fermentation strain DRC 1506 as ‘Leuconostoc Mesenteroides DRC1506 Jonggajip Kimchi-I’ and a patent application was filed for Kimchi production strains.

Additionally, in October last year, Jongga operated Korea’s first Kimchi pop-up store, ‘Kimchi Blast Seoul 2023,’ in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. It offered experiential content that reinterpreted Kimchi. Furthermore, to promote the excellence of Kimchi worldwide, Jongga has conducted various global activities such as △launching a global advertising campaign for Kimchi in New York Times Square △publishing advertisements in the New York Times with the slogan “Korea’s Kimchi, It’s for Everyone”, △producing the Kimchi documentary ‘Kimchi Universe’ in Korean and English versions and △hosting global Kimchi cooking competitions in the US and Europe. With these efforts, Jongga Kimchi is now available in over 40 countries. In early 2022, it became the first in the domestic food industry to complete a large-scale Kimchi factory in the United States and commenced full-scale production. A new factory in Poland is scheduled to be completed in the latter half of this year.

I’m Jeong-bae, the CEO of Daesang, stated, “Jongga Kimchi will actively take the lead in promoting the excellence and authenticity of Kimchi representing Korea.”