Icheon rice slated to be imported to Americas
Published: 23 Feb. 2010, 20:54
Korean residents in the United States and Canada will be able to purchase rice grown in Icheon, Gyeonggi, an area popular for its quality rice, a leading local food distributor announced yesterday.
CJ Freshway, the food service unit of the CJ Group, said it will begin exporting Icheon rice starting next month, in cooperation with the Gyeonggi government.
The United States has the largest market of overseas Koreans, with more than two million expatriates living there, and in the past rice has been exported to the States on occasional one-off bases. But this is the first time that a large conglomerate and the regional government have joined to regularly export the brand overseas.
Though packages of rice that overseas Koreans have purchased until now have been marked with an “Icheon rice” logo, CJ said that product actually sold was produced in California. The distributors were able to use the logo because trademark rights for Icheon rice had not been registered in the United States.
Last August, however, Gyeonggi registered the rights and now it is illegal for any other rice producer to use the trademark.
Currently, 5.44 kilograms (12 pounds) of rice cost less than $10 in the United States. Because of its quality, Icheon rice will be up to three times as expensive.
CJ Freshway plans to export a total of 19 tons of Icheon rice worth $55,000 every month to areas including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, and Vancouver.
By Lee Eun-joo [[email protected]]
CJ Freshway, the food service unit of the CJ Group, said it will begin exporting Icheon rice starting next month, in cooperation with the Gyeonggi government.
The United States has the largest market of overseas Koreans, with more than two million expatriates living there, and in the past rice has been exported to the States on occasional one-off bases. But this is the first time that a large conglomerate and the regional government have joined to regularly export the brand overseas.
Though packages of rice that overseas Koreans have purchased until now have been marked with an “Icheon rice” logo, CJ said that product actually sold was produced in California. The distributors were able to use the logo because trademark rights for Icheon rice had not been registered in the United States.
Last August, however, Gyeonggi registered the rights and now it is illegal for any other rice producer to use the trademark.
Currently, 5.44 kilograms (12 pounds) of rice cost less than $10 in the United States. Because of its quality, Icheon rice will be up to three times as expensive.
CJ Freshway plans to export a total of 19 tons of Icheon rice worth $55,000 every month to areas including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, and Vancouver.
By Lee Eun-joo [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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