CJ CheilJedang’s international food sales soared to nearly 6 trillion won ($4.1 billion) in 2025, exceeding domestic revenue for the first time. However, overall earnings were impacted by underperforming new business ventures and softened domestic demand.
The company’s reported revenue for 2025 reached 17.75 trillion won, a decrease of 0.6 percent compared to the previous year. Operating profit also experienced a decline of 15.2 percent, settling at 861 billion won. When including logistics affiliate CJ Logistics, consolidated revenue saw a slight increase of 0.4 percent to 27.34 trillion won, although operating profit decreased by 15 percent to 1.23 trillion won.
The food unit accounted for 11.52 trillion won in annual revenue, representing a 1.5 percent year-on-year increase. Notably, overseas sales contributed 5.92 trillion won, marking the first instance of surpassing domestic food revenue.
This upward trend was particularly evident in the fourth quarter, where overseas food sales surged by 9 percent to a record-breaking 1.61 trillion won. In contrast, domestic food revenue experienced a 3.8 percent drop to 1.31 trillion won, influenced by weakened consumer spending and escalating input costs.
According to CJ CheilJedang, the success in international markets was fueled by the growing popularity of Korean staples such as dumplings (mandu), kimchi, seaweed (gim), and noodles. These products have transitioned into mainstream convenience food options across the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.
Despite the success in food, other divisions faced challenges. The bio business reported revenue of 3.96 trillion won, a decrease of 5.4 percent year-on-year, while operating profit fell by 36.7 percent due to reduced demand for specialty amino acids.
“With the primary objective of maximizing growth in our global food operations, we intend to expand into new international markets while simultaneously restructuring the bio segment and enhancing operational efficiency to restore profitability,” stated a CJ CheilJedang official.
