Company
South Korean food and bioscience conglomerate, the CJ Group affiliate behind Bibigo and Haechandle brands, listed in Seoul (097950) and expanding overseas.
Korea's Fair Trade Commission sent investigators to Daesang, Ottogi and CJ CheilJedang on Oct. 14 over possible price collusion in six food categories. The conduct under review goes back to 2018, and the unit doing the reviewing is temporary, with a mandate that ends in 2028.
Reality
Four Korean food makers, led by Samyang and CJ CheilJedang, carry 1.19 trillion won in cartel fines for sugar, flour and starch pricing. Samyang, fined 435.38 billion won, had 210.3 billion won waived in August through leniency.
Reality
Prices for 24 of Korea's 26 most-bought processed foods rose on year in August as factory hikes by Lotte Chilsung, Coca-Cola and CJ CheilJedang hit shelves. Whether it is a one-off catch-up or a spread into other foods decides how long it lasts.
Reality
CJ CheilJedang lifted Bibigo gimbap's US store count 145% to 4,734 while sales rose 59% in the first seven months of 2026. Doors grew faster than revenue, so average sales per store fell by roughly a third and the growth so far comes from new shelves.
Reality
CJ wants North American sales up from about 8 trillion won to 12 trillion by 2028. The 33% growth rate behind the pitch came mostly from buying a frozen pizza maker.
Reality
Samyang, Sajo Dongaone, Daehan Flour Mills and TS Corporation have had payment and price-rollback orders put on hold, and the trials that decide whether the money is owed will turn on which sales the FTC counted.
Reality