CJ CheilJedang is taking its global expansion to the next level, setting its sights on traditional Korean spirits after its success with K-Food.
The strategy is to introduce the premium K-spirits brand jari in New York City—a hub of global culinary trends—and expand its reach among local consumers, primarily through Korean fine-dining restaurants and bars.
CJ CheilJedang announced that it will hold a jari launch event on Monday at Moono, a modern Korean restaurant in Manhattan, New York, to unveil three premium spirits.
The products being introduced are jari Munbaesul 24 and jari Gamuchi 24, which were launched in Korea this past July, and jari Munbaesul 41, which is making its U.S. debut. jari Munbaesul 41 is a high-proof spirit that emphasizes the distinctive aroma of Munbae and is aimed at local consumers who prefer premium spirits.
At the launch event, Hong Doo’s bartenders and Chef Kim Ho-young of the one-Michelin-starred restaurant Jua will participate to present cocktails featuring jari and a Korean-style course menu. The concept is to promote K-spirits combined with Korean cuisine as a single gastronomic experience.
On September 23, the K-Spirits X jari Partners Day will be held at Gui Steakhouse in Manhattan. The event will introduce four Korean breweries, including jari, Munbaeju Brewery, Danone Bio, Yesan Apple Wine, and Hoegok Brewery, to professionals in New York’s Korean dining industry.
CJ CheilJedang plans to position K-spirits as a premium gastronomic experience through local chefs and bartenders before promoting them to the general public via major retail channels, and to gradually expand its brand awareness in the U.S. market based on this foundation.
Furthermore, the company’s strategy is to develop jari into a platform connecting domestic breweries with the global market, thereby extending the growing interest in Korean food culture, driven by K-Food, to include spirits and broadening the scope of K-gastronomy.
A CJ CheilJedang spokesperson stated taht centered on jari, it will provide a differentiated K-gastronomy experience through synergies with K-food and strengthen the role as a K-spirits globalization platform that raises the global profile of traditional Korean spirits in collaboration with domestic distilleries.