Walkerhill’s Kimchi Expands Across the U.S. and Into Australia After One Year
Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts is accelerating its global expansion of Korean kimchi, extending distribution across the United States and into Australia just one year after making its first overseas shipment.Walkerhill began exporting its Walkerhill Hotel Kimchi to the U.S. in September 2025, initially
Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts has quickly expanded its distribution of Korean kimchi, reaching the United States and Australia just a year after its initial overseas shipment. The company first began exporting its Walkerhill Hotel Kimchi to the U.S. in September 2025, starting with about seven tons on the West Coast. By February 2026, sales had expanded nationwide, and in the following month, Walkerhill entered the Australian market.
As of August, the company's overall kimchi exports had totaled around 82 tons, setting it on track for its annual goal of 100 tons.
In July, Walkerhill introduced its premium SUPEX Kimchi to the U.S. market, shipping approximately one ton of three varieties: napa cabbage, mustard leaf, and green onion kimchi. "SUPEX" is derived from SK Group's management philosophy, "Super Excellent Level," indicating the highest quality attainable through human expertise. The company's long-standing kimchi production expertise, dating back nearly four decades, underpins its successful overseas expansion.
Walkerhill's Kimchi Research Institute, founded in 1989, oversees every aspect of kimchi production, from ingredient selection and salting to seasoning and fermentation, ensuring consistent taste and quality. Hotel chefs are involved in the flavor and production processes, and ingredients are carefully chosen according to strict quality standards.
For U.S. shipments, Walkerhill introduced functional valves to manage fermentation gases and prevent changes in product quality during long-distance transportation. The SUPEX Kimchi recipe was tailored for the U.S. market by replacing beef brisket stock with a mushroom and vegetable-based stock to comply with local customs and import regulations.
The company aims to build on its growing U.S. demand by expanding distribution channels, targeting Korean-American consumers already familiar with Korean kimchi. Walkerhill also plans to enter Southeast Asia and the Middle East. To celebrate its first year of U.S. exports, the company hosted tasting events at four major Korean supermarkets in the Los Angeles area from September 17 to 20.
Attendees sampled five Walkerhill products, including two varieties of Walkerhill Hotel Kimchi and three varieties of SUPEX Kimchi. Kimchi Chef Jae-hak Kim and distribution manager Yong-hyeok Lee participated in the events, sharing the company's production and quality-control expertise with local consumers. Distribution manager Yong-hyeok Lee expressed satisfaction with the rapid expansion, attributing it to the consistent quality and unique flavor of Walkerhill Kimchi.
"We will continue creating opportunities for consumers around the world to experience Walkerhill Kimchi and further expand its presence in global markets."
Written by urgent.news from Korea IT Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
