Daesang Corporation (Korean: 대상㈜) is a major South Korean food and biotechnology company headquartered in Seoul. Founded in 1956, the company began with fermented seasoning and has grown into a diversified enterprise spanning food, food-ingredient, and bio-fermentation operations. Its sales and activities extend across Asia, North America, Europe, and other global markets. Daesang describes itself as a comprehensive food company and one of the world’s leading fermentation specialists.1

The corporation operates through several well-known consumer brands, including Chungjungone (청정원), Jongga (종가), O’Food, and the historic Miwon (미원). Beyond consumer packaged goods, Daesang manufactures starches, sweeteners, amino acids, fermentation-derived ingredients, and various industrial and functional components.

According to corporate materials, Daesang operates in more than 80 countries. The broader organization includes approximately 3,000 employees and 25 subsidiaries worldwide.2

1956–1960s: The Miwon Beginning

Daesang’s origins trace back to 1956, when Dong-A Whasung Industrial Co., Ltd. was established with Korean capital. The company later became known as Miwon, a name strongly associated with fermented seasoning in Korea.

A significant technological milestone occurred in 1960 when the company produced monosodium glutamate (MSG) using a fermentation process. This innovation established fermentation as the foundational technology for much of Daesang’s subsequent business development. In 1962, the entity was renamed Miwon Co., Ltd.3

Throughout the 1960s, Miwon expanded its product range beyond seasoning to include:

• Starch
• Starch sweeteners
• Citric acid
• Other fermentation-related products
• Food ingredients

This evolution transformed the company from a specialized seasoning manufacturer into a broader producer of food and ingredients.

Significance of Miwon

Miwon serves as the historical foundation of modern Daesang. The company developed expertise in fermentation around seasoning production, which it progressively applied to amino acids, nucleic acids, food ingredients, and biotechnology. Fermentation remains identified by Daesang today as a core technological strength.

International Expansion

Daesang began internationalizing relatively early compared to many Korean food companies. In 1973, it established PT Miwon Indonesia and exported a manufacturing plant overseas. Daesang cites this as the first overseas manufacturing-facility export by a Korean company. Consequently, Indonesia became one of the most important markets in the company’s international history.

Subsequently, the company established or expanded operations in regions including Japan, Indonesia, the United States, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Europe. This network facilitated not only the sale of Korean food but also local production and product localization for diverse markets.

Transition from Miwon to Daesang

During the 1980s and 1990s, the company underwent substantial diversification. It invested heavily in R&D, established a central research institute, expanded into frozen foods and other categories, and developed businesses beyond its original seasoning operations.4

A major corporate milestone occurred in 1997, when Miwon and Sewon merged, after which the group adopted the name Daesang.

In 1996, Daesang launched Chungjungone, which became one of its principal consumer-food brands. This period effectively transformed the company from an entity primarily identified with Miwon seasoning into a modern multi-category food corporation.

Chungjungone

Chungjungone (청정원) is Daesang’s flagship general-food brand, introduced in 1996 as part of the expansion of its consumer-food portfolio.5

Unlike single-product brands, Chungjungone functions as a large umbrella brand covering various categories, such as:

• Korean sauces and pastes
• Soy sauce
• Gochujang
• Doenjang
• Cooking sauces
• Seasonings
• Processed foods
• Frozen/chilled foods
• Meat products
• Meal solutions
• Western-style foods

Daesang notes that its food business evolved from Miwon seasoning into traditional Korean foods like jang and kimchi, alongside chilled/frozen items, processed meats, and Western-style foods.6 In Korea, Chungjungone is recognized as a comprehensive household food brand rather than a niche product label.

Jongga

Jongga (종가) is Daesang’s prominent kimchi and Korean traditional-food brand. The company strengthened its position in the chilled/fresh food sector through the acquisition of Jongga in 2006.7

Jongga has become one of Daesang’s key international brands, particularly as demand for Korean food and kimchi grows globally. The brand’s portfolio centers on kimchi, Korean traditional foods, fermented foods, side dishes, and other Korean food products.

Daesang renewed Jongga’s brand identity in 2022 and utilizes the brand extensively in its international K-food strategy. For instance, in 2024–2025, Daesang promoted Jongga Kimchi Blast events in Busan and Tokyo to introduce Korean food culture internationally.

O’Food

O’Food is another major Daesang brand, positioned specifically for international markets. While Chungjungone is closely tied to the Korean domestic market, O’Food targets a global audience. Its products include Korean sauces, seasonings, frozen foods, snacks, and other Korean-inspired items.

Daesang’s sustainability materials identify Jongga, O’Food, and Chungjungone as the primary global brands intended to expand Korean food internationally.

Miwon

Despite the shift to the Daesang corporate identity, Miwon remains an active consumer brand. Historically, Miwon was the fermented seasoning that launched the company’s food business in the 1950s and 1960s.

It is useful to distinguish the roles: Miwon represents the historical brand heritage, while Daesang is the modern corporate identity. Consumers may encounter Miwon, Chungjungone, Jongga, and Daesang names on different products; these are all interconnected within Daesang’s corporate and brand structure.

Daesang’s operations are broadly divided into consumer food and ingredient/biotechnology sectors.

A. Food Business

This segment includes products most likely encountered by consumers, featuring brands such as Chungjungone, Jongga, O’Food, and Miwon. Product lines include:

• Korean sauces and fermented pastes
• Kimchi
• Seasonings and cooking ingredients
• Frozen and chilled foods
• Processed meat
• Meal kits and ready-to-eat foods
• Western-style foods
• Health-oriented foods

B. Bio-Fermentation

This is one of Daesang’s most technologically significant businesses. Originally developed through MSG production, the company expanded its fermentation capabilities into amino acids, nucleic acids, and other fermentation-derived products. Daesang states it has developed more than 20 manufacturing technologies related to amino acids and nucleic acids.

Consequently, Daesang operates not just as a packaged-food company but also as a B2B biotechnology and fermentation provider, supplying ingredients to other manufacturers.

C. Starch and Sweeteners

Daesang is a major producer of starch and carbohydrate-derived ingredients. Products include starch, fructose, oligosaccharides, starch syrup, functional carbohydrate ingredients, and allulose. These ingredients serve food and beverage manufacturing as well as other industrial applications. In 2023, Daesang completed construction of new starch/sweetener and allulose plants.

Daesang’s globalization strategy extends beyond simple exportation. The company employs three main approaches:

1. Exporting Korean Brands: Selling Korean kimchi, sauces, and other products overseas under brands like Jongga and O’Food.
2. Local Production: Establishing manufacturing bases in various countries to reduce dependence on Korean production and respond efficiently to local markets.
3. Localization: Modifying products to suit local tastes, regulations, and consumption patterns.

Daesang explicitly describes its strategy as combining exports, local production, and localization, noting that its products are currently available in more than 80 countries.

United States Expansion

The United States has become increasingly central to Daesang’s strategy. The company completed construction of an LA plant in 2022 and acquired Lucky Foods, a U.S.-based food company, in 2023.

This reflects a strategic shift from the old model (exporting Korean products) to a new model involving Korean brands combined with local companies, factories, and localized products to participate more deeply in Asian and Korean food markets.

Vietnam Operations

Vietnam holds particular significance for Daesang. The company established Miwon Vietnam in 1993 and constructed a distribution center in Ho Chi Minh City in 2004.

Daesang Vietnam describes itself as a subsidiary serving Vietnamese consumers for nearly 30 years, distributing brands including Miwon, O’Food, and Chungjungone. This establishes Vietnam as a long-standing Southeast Asian market rather than a recent entry.

Daesang Corporation is the central entity within the Daesang Group’s food and ingredient operations. As of 2026, the official website lists Jung-bae Lim as CEO and director.

Operations are organized around major areas including Food, Ingredients, and Global Food. In 2020, Daesang introduced independent management systems for these business areas to reflect its diversified structure.

Daesang occupies a distinct position in the Korean food industry by combining three identities:

1. Korean Consumer-Food Company: Competing directly in packaged food via Chungjungone, Jongga, O’Food, and Miwon.
2. Fermentation/Biotechnology Company: Leveraging microbial fermentation for amino acids and related ingredients.
3. Global K-Food Company: Using Korean food brands—particularly kimchi, sauces, and fermented foods—as vehicles for international expansion.

This combination distinguishes Daesang from companies that operate solely as packaged-food manufacturers.

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Daesang operates a multi-brand portfolio where individual brands maintain their own identities, meaning the corporate name “Daesang” may not appear prominently on every consumer product.

Corporate / Group Identity
↓

Consumer Food Brands

• Chungjungone: Comprehensive Korean/general food
• Jongga: Kimchi and traditional Korean foods
• O’Food: Globally oriented Korean food
• Miwon: Seasoning / historical flagship

Ingredient & Biotechnology Businesses

• Amino acids
• Fermentation products
• Nucleic-acid-related ingredients
• Starch
• Sweeteners
• Allulose
• Functional ingredients

Daesang’s distinctive characteristic is its integration of traditional Korean food, consumer packaged food, fermentation technology, and B2B ingredients.

Historically, Daesang’s predecessor, Miwon, played a crucial role in popularizing industrially produced fermented seasoning in Korea. The company subsequently expanded this fermentation expertise into a wider food ecosystem. Today, its brands cover products closely associated with Korean cuisine, particularly kimchi, gochujang, doenjang, sauces, and seasonings.

Internationally, Daesang positions these products within the broader K-food phenomenon. Its global strategy aims to integrate Korean food categories into everyday consumption in international markets. The 2023 sustainability report outlined a strategy centered on Jongga, O’Food, and Chungjungone, targeting substantial growth in global sales.

Recent developments at Daesang can be summarized by four trends:

• Globalization: Expanding production, brands, and distribution outside Korea.
• K-Food Internationalization: Utilizing kimchi, Korean sauces, and other foods as global categories.
• Health & Wellness: Developing lower-sugar, lower-calorie, and functional products. In 2025, the company introduced a LOW TAG emblem for qualifying products.
• Advanced Ingredients: Expanding capabilities in starch, sweeteners, allulose, amino acids, and fermentation technologies.

The company’s stated long-term ambition is to evolve from a primarily domestic Korean food producer into a major global food and ingredient company.

1. History｜About Company｜Daesang Corporation
2. Daesang Corporation｜About Company｜Daesang Corporation
3. About Daesang Vietnam
4. Daesang Corporation
5. DAESANG CORPORATION/Annual Report/2025.03.21
6. DAESANG HOLDINGS CO., LTD – Annual Report 2025
7. DAESANG CORPORATION – Annual Report 2024
8. Về Daesang Việt Nam