As Koreans eat less rice, CJ looks overseas to grow Hetbahn

Hetbahn is CJ CheilJedang’s instant-cooked-rice brand. It began in 1996 as Korea’s first aseptic-packaged cooked rice and now includes multigrain bowls, pot-cooked rice, porridge, cup meals and more. Its importance comes from making prepared rice convenient while preserving it without refrigeration or preservatives.

Aseptic packaging combines sterilized food with a clean, protective package. Hetbahn’s production includes washing, soaking, filling, steam sterilization, adding water, cooking, clean-room sealing and inspection. Multilayer packaging blocks oxygen and protects the bowl from impacts. CJ says the rice can then remain at room temperature for nine months.

The technology helped Hetbahn reach about 65 percent of Korea’s market. CJ has developed 267 patents and continues adapting the product for global customers. Newer products add grains, toppings, protein or fiber, showing that the brand now focuses on nutrition and variety as well as simple convenience.

Hetbahn is already a very large food business, not merely a single microwaveable rice product. CJ CheilJedang reported record annual sales of more than 1.1 trillion won last year. The brand’s range now includes multigrain rice, pot-cooked rice, sticky rice, porridge, cup meals and other products.

CJ’s stated 2028 goal is annual sales in the 1.5 trillion won range. The company is building toward it through product innovation and international growth. Its overseas sales have increased by about 30 percent annually over the past five years. Foreign markets now cover about 60 countries, giving CJ more room beyond Korea.

Overseas sales represented 15 percent of total Hetbahn sales last year, up from 8 percent in 2021. CJ expects that share to exceed 20 percent and reach around 25 percent by 2028. The United States is the immediate priority, with Europe next.

Hetbahn’s 65 percent domestic market share gives CJ leadership, but Korea is becoming a harder place to grow. The article reports shrinking rice consumption at home, especially among younger Koreans. It also notes that Hetbahn has lost some market share to cheaper rivals. A dominant position cannot fully offset a shrinking or more price-sensitive market.

CJ’s answer is to look for new consumers overseas. Hetbahn now reaches about 60 countries, and overseas sales have grown an average of about 30 percent annually over five years. CJ also offers products designed for changing tastes, including multigrain rice, matcha rice and perilla oil rice.

The company expects overseas sales to rise from 15 percent of total sales last year to around 25 percent by 2028. CJ says the leader’s role is to grow the category, not simply defend market share. Its strategy is therefore both geographic and product-led.

When Koreans eat less rice, especially younger consumers, the home market offers less natural volume growth. Cheaper rivals also put pressure on Hetbahn’s share. That changes CJ’s task: it must create new demand and reach new customers rather than depend on its existing leadership.

CJ is expanding abroad and widening the product range. Hetbahn now spans multigrain rice, pot-cooked rice, sticky rice, porridge, cup meals, matcha rice and perilla oil rice. Its research also explores nutrition design, including added protein and fiber, plus reconstituted rice with fewer carbohydrates and calories.

The company aims to raise annual sales from more than 1.1 trillion won last year to 1.5 trillion won by 2028. Overseas markets should provide much of that increase. CJ expects foreign sales’ share to reach around 25 percent, with the United States first and Europe next.

The United States is Hetbahn’s leading foreign priority because CJ sees clear consumer recognition there. The product is sold under the Bibigo label, and CJ says American shoppers can distinguish its aseptic-packaged rice from pouch rice already available in the country. That gives the company a basis for competing beyond price.

Hetbahn still trails the market leader. It holds about 12 percent of the US market, while Ben’s Original commands about 45 percent. The gap is large, but the existing share shows that CJ has already established a meaningful position. Its product format and taste are central parts of the pitch.

The US is also part of a broader overseas plan. Hetbahn’s foreign sales have grown about 30 percent annually over five years, and CJ expects their share to reach around 25 percent of total sales by 2028. Europe is the next priority after the United States.

CJ began with a practical product: Korea’s first aseptic-packaged cooked rice, launched under Hetbahn in 1996. The company kept improving the imported production line through its own know-how. That technical foundation allowed it to preserve cooked rice at room temperature while developing more varieties for changing tastes.

The expansion relied on 267 patents and detailed control of the production process. CJ checks grain moisture after harvest, mills rice the same day, and uses different treatments for different products. Its pot-cooked line uses vacuum-pressure sterilization to seal in toppings and maintain their texture. These methods helped move the brand beyond plain white rice.

Hetbahn now includes multigrain bowls, pot-cooked rice, sticky rice, porridge, cup meals and rice-studded gelato. CJ has also added matcha rice, perilla oil rice, protein, fiber and reconstituted rice. The lineup supports overseas growth while responding to health and flavor trends.

Cooked rice can spoil when microbes survive or enter the food. Hetbahn addresses that risk through several connected controls. The rice goes through steam sterilization, cooking, clean-room sealing and inspection. CJ says its clean room has fewer than 100 dust particles per square foot, compared with about 20,000 in ordinary air.

The package provides another barrier. Multilayer material shuts out oxygen and withstands impact, reducing opportunities for spoilage after sealing. CJ also controls moisture and heat. For pot-cooked products, vacuum-pressure sterilization seals in toppings, while optimized treatment helps preserve their texture. Same-day milling supports freshness before processing.

Together, these steps allow Hetbahn to remain at room temperature for nine months without preservatives. The process is central to the brand’s competitive advantage, and CJ says rivals cannot match its production technology. Its continuing patents support further product development for Korea and overseas markets.