CJ Group Chmn. Lee Expands His Global Business in 2025

CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun poses for a photo with UAE Media Council Chairman Abdullah Al Hamed in the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 9.

CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun successfully carried out his global field-oriented management initiative in 2025, flying into key locations across Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East.

Chairman Lee chose Japan as his first overseas field management destination this year.

Lee visited Tokyo for three days in April to review the performances of CJ’s Japanese headquarters and met with key figures in the Japanese entertainment, distribution, and finance industries, including TBS Holdings Chairman Takashi Sasaki, Itochu Corporation Chairman Masahiro Okafuji, and Mizuho Financial Group Chairman Seiji Imai, to explore opportunities for global business expansion.

“The rekindled Korean Wave in Japan is not a mere fad, but a crucial opportunity for K-Culture’s global expansion,” Lee said. “Our Japanese businesses, such as the Bibigo and content businesses, should not miss this golden opportunity.”

In August, Chairman Lee visited the United States as part of Korea’s official economic delegation for the Korea-US Summit.

CJ was the only K-content company among the participating companies and has been a leading player in the spread of K-culture in the United States.

This visit was seen as an opportunity to reaffirm CJ’s presence as a leading K-culture company on the international diplomatic stage.

CJ has expanded its food, content, and logistics businesses in the United States, making the nation a key base for its global business operations.

Since opening its LA office in 1978, the Korean business group has operated various affiliates in the United States including Cheil Jedang (food/bio), Korea Express, CJ Foodville, ENM and CJ Freshway.

Its cumulative investment has reached 7.9 trillion won, and the number of its local workforce stands at approximately 12,000.

CJ’s business in the US market is three-dimensionally structured.

CJ Group focuses on K-food, K-culture, and logistics infrastructure. CJ CheilJedang racked up U.S. sales of 4.7138 trillion won as of 2024, supplying Bibigo dumplings, kimchi, and sauces from 20 production facilities in America.

CJ Foodville runs 170 stores across 30 U.S. states, maintaining stable growth.

In September, Lee visited London, the United Kingdom, with key group executives to assess the potential expansion of CJ’s European business.

This marked the first time Chairman Lee carried out on-site management in Europe, underscoring the strategic importance of Europe in the business group’s global expansion.

In December, Chairman Lee concluded his final global on-site management visit of the year with a week-long visit to Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The visit, his first since his visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the kingdom’s ministry of culture in September of last year, reflected his high evaluation of the Middle East’s growth potential.

CJ CheilJedang’s Beksul 10-Minute Cook Booth welcomes visitors during the Kurly Food Festa. (Photos: CJ Group)

‘Beksul 10-Minute Cook’ Booth at Kurly Food Festa

CJ CheilJedang announced on Dec. 19 that it ran a booth to let people try its ultra-easy cooking sauce, “Beksul 10-Minute Cook,” at the Kurly Food Festa 2025 at COEX Magok in Gangseo-gu, Seoul.

This year, approximately 160 food and beverage brands took part in the event. CJ CheilJedang’s booth was designed to offer ultra-easy cooking solutions using “Beksul 10-Minute Cook.”

“Beksul 10-Minute Cook” is a pouch-type product containing a microwave-safe cooking sauce.

You can prepare meals by simply adding ingredients like meat, fish, or vegetables, mixing with the sauce, closing the zipper, and microwaving for 10 minutes.

The booth was designed with the concept of “Microwave Ranger,” the cooking hero recently featured in the “Beksul 10-Minute Cook” digital content.

“Microwave Ranger” is a “lifestyle hero” who offers comfort foods to modern people exhausted by their busy lives with simple solutions.

The “Baekseol 10-Minute Cook” Booth featured a diverse mix of tasting, photo and event zones.

At the tasting zone, visitors enjoyed simple cooking processes using the product firsthand and sampled dishes like Doenjang Bossam, Ganjang Jjimdak, and Braised Mackerel.