Dumplings, Hetbahn Drive Overseas Success, Offset FX and Raw Material Pressures... CJ CheilJedang Q3 Operating Profit Up 6.9%

Q3 operating profit up 6.9% to KRW 203 billion; revenue up 5.7%
Domestic and overseas food business revenue rises
Revenue also grows in technology and core materials divisions

CJ CheilJedang offset external factors such as rising raw material prices and a weaker exchange rate through strong sales of global strategic products (GSPs), including dumplings and Hetbahn, which are popular in overseas markets, and cost efficiencies, successfully improving profitability in the third quarter of 2026.

Bibigo booth at the 2026 Mexico K-Expo. Courtesy of CJ CheilJedang.

CJ CheilJedang announced on the 11th that its consolidated operating profit for the third quarter of this year was provisionally tallied at KRW 203 billion, up 6.9% from the same period a year earlier. Revenue for the same period rose 5.7% to KRW 4.23 trillion. However, net income fell by KRW 27.2 billion from the same period last year to KRW 15.1 billion, due in part to foreign-exchange valuation losses stemming from the weaker exchange rate. Including subsidiary CJ Logistics, third-quarter consolidated revenue rose 7% year over year to KRW 7.3952 trillion, while operating profit fell 7.4% to KRW 309 billion.

By business division, revenue in the Lifestyle Food division, the company's mainstay, increased 3.8% year over year to KRW 2.5744 trillion, while operating profit held steady at KRW 118.7 billion. The company said it defended profitability through growth in domestic online and offline channels and cost-efficiency efforts, despite higher raw material and logistics costs at home and abroad.

Revenue from the domestic food business increased 3.9% from the same period last year to KRW 1.0651 trillion. Sales of major products such as Hetbahn and Sobaba grew, while revenue from Bibigo grilled fish and Beksul 1bunring rose 69% and 24%, respectively, driving growth.

Revenue from the overseas food business also rose 3.7% to KRW 1.5093 trillion. In the Americas, despite a smaller currency translation benefit due to the weaker exchange rate, revenue increased 3% to KRW 1.2429 trillion as demand grew for GSPs such as dumplings and Hetbahn. Revenue in Europe rose 26% with the addition of new dumpling products and the expansion of distribution channels. In Vietnam, revenue grew by double digits (14%), supported by efforts to build sales of strategic products such as rolls, seaweed and noodles. In China, revenue increased 8% as dumpling and frozen rice sales grew, particularly through large warehouse clubs and online channels.

Meanwhile, revenue in the Technology Materials division rose 20.2% year over year to KRW 232.6 billion, driven by expanded sales of specialty products. However, the division posted an operating loss of KRW 24.2 billion as it increased investment to develop markets for future growth products. Revenue in the Core Materials division grew 7% to KRW 1.423 trillion, driven by growth in specialty amino acids, particularly arginine, and expanded lysine sales in North America. Operating profit also rose 36% to KRW 108.5 billion, supported by broad-based growth in amino acid products for animal feed.

Earlier, as part of a business portfolio reshuffle, CJ CheilJedang expanded its business structure in July from two divisions, "Food" and "Bio," to three: "Lifestyle Food," "Technology Materials" and "Core Materials." A CJ CheilJedang official said, "In the fourth quarter, we will continue to speed up the expansion of K-food into key regions, driven by growth in global strategic products such as dumplings and Hetbahn. We will also strengthen the competitiveness of each business division by responding to the peak season for nucleic acids, expanding sales of amino acids for animal feed and improving the profitability of future growth products."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.