Korean food giant Daesang has announced a significant expansion of its O'food brand in the Canadian market, securing major retail listings for its new premium instant noodle line.
The company is launching two Kimchi Ramyun products—'Real Kimchi Ramyun Noodle Soup' and 'Real Fiery Kimchi Stir-fried Ramyun'—at Costco and Loblaws locations across Canada. The launch aims to premiumise the instant noodle category by replacing standard dehydrated ingredients with fresh inclusions.
Fresh Over Dried
The key differentiator for the new lineup is the inclusion of fresh Kimchi, sourced from Jongga (Daesang’s flagship brand and Korea's No.1 Kimchi producer by sales volume). This formulation strategy addresses a common consumer complaint regarding instant noodles: the lack of texture in dried vegetable flakes.
The Lineup:
🍜 Real Kimchi Ramyun Noodle Soup: A soup-style format featuring a spicy broth base enriched with fresh Jongga Kimchi. It is engineered to replicate the profile of traditional Korean Kimchi stew, balancing acidity and savoury aroma.
🔥 Real Fiery Kimchi Stir-fried Ramyun: A dry, stir-fried variant targeting the high-heat demographic. The sauce combines O'food gochujang with aged habanero, creating a complex flavour profile described as "intense heat and sweet-tangy notes," complemented by the crunch of fresh kimchi.
North American Footprint and Marketing
While focusing on the Canadian expansion, the brand noted that these products are already established in major U.S. retail channels, including Costco, Kroger, H Mart, and Amazon.
To support the Canadian rollout, O'food is executing a localised marketing strategy. This includes outdoor advertising and a grassroots sampling program targeting major Canadian universities and K-Food festivals, aiming to drive trial among younger demographics heavily influenced by Korean culinary trends.
Seungin Jung, Head of Global Discovery Business Organization at Daesang, commented on the quality differentiation:
"Our two new Kimchi Ramyun products are distinguished by the use of real Kimchi, which delivers a crunchy texture and rich fermented flavour. We will continue expanding our distribution channels so that Canadian consumers can enjoy Korean-style Kimchi Ramyun more easily and conveniently at nearby retailers such as Costco and Loblaws."
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