CJ CheilJedang's Bibigo manufacturing plant in Vermont, California / Courtesy of CJ CheilJedang

Harim's charcoal-grilled chicken breasts / Courtesy of Harim

Harim and CJ CheilJedang will make a fresh entry into the Vietnamese meat market after a state summit between Korea and Vietnam on Wednesday cleared quarantine hurdles for the Korean food firms.

The two firms are the only Korean meat producers that can start exporting to Vietnam for now, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced Thursday. The government said Vietnam has fast-tracked the approval for the companies to export to the Southeast Asian country.

Harim specializes in chicken in fresh, processed and home-meal-replacement types for refrigerated, frozen and room temperature storage. CJ CheilJedang, with its signature food brand Bibigo, is now exporting frozen and microwavable foods like dumplings, gimbaps and fried rices to 70 countries.

The export agreement will serve as a lucrative opportunity for Harim and CJ CheilJedang as they gain access to a promising export market.

Vietnam is a key consumer market in Southeast Asia, with the country's population surpassing 100 million as of 2025. The agriculture ministry said the Vietnamese meat market is now valued at $11 billion, up from $7.7 billion in 2020, and growing at an average annual rate of 9.6 percent.

The Korean government has been conducting quarantine and hygiene negotiations with Vietnam since 2017 to enable exports of various processed meat products made from poultry, including ham, sausages, samgyetang (traditional Korean ginseng chicken soup) and nuggets.

“This export agreement is a valuable achievement resulting from the Korean government's active quarantine negotiations. It will contribute to expanding our livestock product exports amid uncertain trade conditions,” Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said.

The ministry said it will continue to engage in dialogue with Vietnam in order for more Korean meat farmers and producers to expand their markets to the Southeast Asian nation.

Source: Korea Times News