CJ CheilJedang, the South Korean food and biotech conglomerate behind bibigo™ dumplings and Red Baron® pizza, is entering the U.S. premium spirits category with jari, a new Korean spirits brand targeting fine-dining venues and specialty retail in New York.

The debut roster comprises three expressions: jari Moonbaesool 24 (24% ABV), jari Moonbaesool 41 (41% ABV), and jari Gamuchi 24 (24% ABV). All three are aged across four seasons in traditional, unglazed Onggi jars and contain no artificial additives. The brand launched in Korea earlier in 2026 before crossing into the U.S. market this autumn, with initial distribution concentrated at select stores and premium Korean restaurants in New York, including Michelin-starred establishments.

Behind the Products

Moonbaesool carries considerable heritage weight: the recipe traces to the Goryeo Dynasty, originating in Pyongyang and maintained for five generations in Gimpo, Gyeonggi-do. It was designated a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Korea in 1986. The jari version is made from millet, sorghum, and Korean-harvested rice. Gamuchi, named after the gamulchi freshwater fish — chosen for its symbolism of resilience — is built on freshly harvested Chungju rice and is positioned for its smooth profile, delicate rice aromatics, and savory finish. All three SKUs cleared competitive validation ahead of the U.S. rollout, taking top honors at the 2026 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) and the International Spirits Challenge (ISC).

The Strategic Play

For CJ CheilJedang, jari is an explicit extension of the Korean Wave commercial thesis that has already propelled bibigo™ to the No. 1 position in the U.S. business-to-consumer dumplings category. The company operates 20 production facilities in the United States through its affiliate CJ Schwan's, giving it an established domestic infrastructure. Spirits, however, represent a new vertical — one where the company is wagering that the cultural momentum behind K-Food can be converted into consumer interest in K-Spirits, much as Japanese sake and Mexican mezcal leveraged cuisine-linked credibility to build mainstream U.S. distribution.

Gregory Yep, CEO of CJ CheilJedang's Lifestyle Food Business unit, described the launch as foundational rather than opportunistic. "We believe jari can help open new possibilities for how Korean spirits are discovered, served, and enjoyed," he said. The brand's positioning leans into food pairing and the Korean dining ritual of drinking alongside a meal — a behavior pattern already familiar to the growing segment of U.S. consumers who frequent Korean restaurants and engage with K-Food retail.

To mark the New York debut, CJ Foods staged an invitation-only launch dinner on September 22 at Moono, pairing a five-course menu from Michelin-starred chef Hoyoung Kim with jari served neat and in cocktails by Du-ui Hong of Seoul's Pine & Co. Korean American chef and author Irene Yoo hosted the evening. "There's so much to discover in Korean spirits, and they don't have to feel unfamiliar," said Yoo, chef/owner of Orion Bar and author of Soju Party. "They're meant to be enjoyed around the table with food, with friends."

The go-to-market approach mirrors a strategy increasingly common in the premium import spirits segment: seed credibility through high-visibility fine-dining placements before broadening to on-premise and specialty retail channels. Whether jari can replicate that trajectory at meaningful scale will depend on how quickly distribution partners can move the brand beyond New York's Korean restaurant corridor into broader on-premise and specialty retail footprints — a challenge every import spirits entrant faces in a crowded U.S. market. Coverage of CJ CheilJedang's broader U.S. expansion strategy has tracked the company's moves in frozen and refrigerated foods and Asian-cuisine retail.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.