Daesang Makes First Appearance at Japan's Largest Food & Distribution Trade Show, SMTS 2026, Signaling Full-Scale Entry into the Japanese Market
- Held February 18–20 in Chiba, Japan, with approximately 2,200 exhibitors and over 70,000 expected visitors
- Showcasing flagship products including Jongga Ilpum Kimchi and O'food Gochujang, alongside four tasting menus reflecting local food trends
SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Daesang Corporation, a leading Korean food company, announced on February 11 that it will participate for the first time in Supermarket Trade Show 2026 (SMTS 2026), Japan's largest food and distribution exhibition, to be held from February 18 to 20 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.
Marking its 60th anniversary this year, SMTS (Supermarket Trade Show) has been hosted annually by the National Supermarket Association of Japan since 1967 and is widely recognized as the country's premier distribution trade fair. The 2026 edition is expected to feature approximately 2,200 companies from 16 countries, attracting more than 70,000 visitors, including Japanese and global retail buyers.
Widely regarded as Korea's representative comprehensive food company, Daesang has built a broad product portfolio over the past 70 years, spanning seasonings, fermented sauces, kimchi, sauces, and processed foods, steadily expanding its presence in global markets. Through its inaugural participation at SMTS 2026, Daesang plans to showcase its differentiated competitiveness by highlighting fermented sauces and kimchi products rooted in its fermentation technology, while further strengthening its foothold in the Japanese market.
At the Daesang booth, the company will showcase flagship products from Jongga, Korea's No.1* kimchi brand, and O'food, its global food brand, drawing on its expertise as one of the world's leading fermentation specialists. Key products include Jongga Ilpum Kimchi, crafted through Jongga's proprietary traditional process and matured with five specially selected seafood ingredients to deliver the rich umami flavor of authentic Korean kimchi. The company will also feature Jongga Mildly Fermented Kimchi, designed to offer a lighter, more approachable taste for Japanese consumers who are new to kimchi. In addition, Daesang will introduce O'food Gochujang, made using traditional methods inherited from Sunchang, Korea's renowned gochujang-producing region, highlighting the appeal of K-food through differentiated, heritage-driven products.
* Source: NIELSEN KOREA, 2007–2024 Kimchi Sales Volume & Value
To help Japanese consumers experience the flavors of authentic fermented foods in a more familiar way, Daesang will operate an ongoing tasting program inspired by local food culture trends. Under the concept of "Delica menus", which have gained popularity in Japanese supermarkets, the program will present creative recipes incorporating kimchi and gochujang. The four tasting items include trendy Korean-style dishes such as Stir-fried Kimchi Egg Gimbap and Water Dropwort Gochujang Shrimp Gangjeong, as well as "Neo-Japanese" menu items that blend Korean fermented flavors into everyday Japanese cuisine, including Kimchi Tuna Mayo Sando and Gochujang Nikujaga (Japanese-style simmered beef and potatoes).
The booth design has also been carefully curated. Inspired by Daesang's corporate identity, the booth features a horizontal "Big Tree" structure symbolizing the company's vision of continuous growth and expansion, expressed through the imagery of expanding tree rings. Large LED screens and a layout modeled after an actual supermarket display allow visiting buyers to intuitively experience product shelving and in-store merchandising concepts. Notably, traditional Korean mother-of-pearl craftsmanship—representing Korea's spirit of kodawari (こだわり), or meticulous dedication to quality—has been incorporated across the booth, including product brochures and tasting containers, to convey Daesang's craftsmanship and quality philosophy.
"Participation in SMTS 2026 marks a meaningful opportunity to introduce Daesang's uniquely differentiated products, which encapsulate our fermentation technology and expertise, to the Japanese food and distribution market," said Lim Jung-bae, CEO of Daesang Corporation. "We hope visitors will enjoy the diverse appeal of K-food through our fermented sauces and kimchi products, which offer new and exciting taste experiences while reflecting local Japanese food culture trends."
About Daesang Corporation
Founded in 1956, Daesang Corporation has been one of the world's largest producers of fermented food products for 70 years, and has grown to be the global leading Korean based food company by operating global brands such as Jongga, and O'food which provides kimchi, sauce, ready-to-eat meals, and many more products. Headquartered in South Korea, the company has also manufacturing subsidiaries in United States, Poland, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Visit www.daesang.com/en for more information.
SOURCE Daesang Corporation
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