Bibigo owner to build cultivated seaweed plant to fuel Korean food demand

Food Dive reported the development on 2026-06-18. The land-based facility will allow CJ Foods to secure consistent supply of gim, an ingredient threatened by rising ocean temperatures.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. Bibigo owner CJ Foods is set to build a land-based seaweed plant as demand for Korean foods and flavors surges. The company will break ground in August on a facility in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, for large-scale cultivation of gim, a roasted seaweed used in Korean cuisine.

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. The plant, set to be completed in the first half of 2027, will allow CJ Foods to be able to harvest gim year-round instead of only during the winter season. As Korean food explodes in popularity across the U.S., Bibigo's owner is taking steps to secure supply of a key ingredient that's threatened due to climate change.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. Rising sea temperatures and higher demand mean conventional ocean-based cultivation “is reaching its limits," CJ Foods said. The company has invested in land-based gim farming since 2018, and the new plant represents CJ's entry into the commercialization phase following successful tests in 2021 and 2022.