Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts is accelerating its overseas expansion by exporting its flagship premium kimchi brand, SUPEX Kimchi, to the United States for the first time, strengthening its presence in the global premium food market.
The company announced Monday that it recently shipped approximately one ton of three SUPEX Kimchi varieties—napa cabbage kimchi, green onion kimchi, and mustard leaf kimchi—to the U.S. The products will arrive through the Port of Long Beach in California and are scheduled to be distributed across local retail channels starting July 31.
The latest shipment marks another milestone in Walkerhill's overseas food business. After launching its secondary brand, Walkerhill Hotel Kimchi, in the western United States in September last year, the company expanded distribution nationwide in February. It also entered the Australian market in March as part of its broader global growth strategy.
Before introducing SUPEX Kimchi to U.S. consumers, Walkerhill conducted two rounds of local product testing late last year to assess consumer preferences and refine the product for overseas markets.
Originally developed in 1994, SUPEX Kimchi is Walkerhill's premium kimchi brand built on decades of culinary expertise. The hotel established Korea's first hotel-operated kimchi research institute in 1989 and created the brand by reinterpreting traditional recipes once enjoyed by upper-class households in the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions during the late Joseon Dynasty. Commercial sales began in 1997.
The premium kimchi is made with powdered red pepper, three-year-aged Shinan sea salt, freshwater black shrimp, premium salted shrimp, and a proprietary vegetable broth infused with sanghwang, shiitake, and maitake mushrooms, giving it a crisp texture and clean, rich flavor.
To better meet international consumer preferences, Walkerhill also revised its recipe for export markets. The company replaced its traditional Korean beef broth with a signature mushroom-and-vegetable stock, maintaining the brand's distinctive taste while making the product more suitable for diverse dietary preferences and global food trends.
Walkerhill also introduced new packaging technology to improve product stability during overseas distribution. Instead of conventional pouches, SUPEX Kimchi is now packaged in specially designed Can Seamer containers that naturally release fermentation gases while preventing outside air from entering. The new packaging helps preserve freshness and flavor throughout long-distance shipping and retail distribution.
The company is also investing in brand awareness in North America. Since April, television commercials promoting Walkerhill Hotel Kimchi have been airing on local broadcast stations in the Los Angeles area as well as satellite television networks serving Korean communities across the United States.
Including the latest SUPEX shipment, Walkerhill's cumulative kimchi exports have reached approximately 70 tons as of July. Building on its presence in the United States and Australia, the company plans to expand into additional Asian markets, including Japan.
Walkerhill aims to strengthen its position in the global premium food industry by leveraging its long-standing culinary heritage and hotel dining expertise. The company expects its premium kimchi portfolio to further promote Korean food culture while supporting the growing international demand for high-quality K-food products.
