{
  "id": 16394188,
  "title": "CJ CheilJedang steams sticky rice for global expansion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/cj-cheiljedang-steams-sticky-rice-for-global-expansion",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-25T00:07:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20261025/cj-cheiljedang-steams-sticky-rice-for-global-expansion"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "JINCHEON, North Chungcheong Province — CJ CheilJedang, which pioneered microwavable steamed rice bowls under the Hetbahn brand in 1996 and has since dominated the market, is now ramping up its international expansion to promote healthier diets worldwide. The company's Hetbahn brand currently reaches 60 nations, with the United States being the largest market. Originally rebranded as Bibigo, the rice bowls entered the U.S. market in 2017. Global exports of Hetbahn rice bowls increased to 15 percent of total sales last year, up from 8 percent in 2021, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 30 percent throughout the period. As part of its global strategy, CJ CheilJedang positions rice as a \"better carbohydrate\" than bread. This positioning is supported by global market research firm Mintel, which found that 34.6 percent of American consumers who buy rice consider it a \"healthier option.\" These consumers utilize rice not only for traditional Asian dishes like fried rice and sushi but also for Western-style meals such as chicken, steak, burritos, and rice bowls. In the U.S., weekly rice consumption has risen to 45 percent of the population.",
  "summary": "JINCHEON, North Chungcheong Province — CJ CheilJedang, which introduced the country’s first microwavable steamed rice bowls under the Hetbahn brand in 1996 and has dominated the market since, is accelerating exports to promote healthier diets for global consumers. Hetbahn now exports to 60 countries, with the United States the largest market. The rice bowls were rebranded as Bibigo and entered…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}