South Korean food company Pulmuone expects faster penetration of kimchi to American homes as its supplies have been increased to 10,000 grocery stores across the United States.

The company said Wednesday its kimchi products would be sold in an additional 5,000 retail outlets, including America’s No. 2 grocery chain Kroger, Safeway and Food Lion.

In June, Pulmuone signed an agreement to supply its kimchi to 3,900 stores in Walmart and 1,100 stores in Publix, a fast-growing supermarket chain in the southeast. With the addition, the company’s kimchi will be available in 10,000 shops across the country.

The Pulmuone kimchi supplied to U.S. would be made from Korean ingredients and produced in the recently opened kimchi factory in Iksan, Jeolla Province of southwestern Korea, the company said.

Pulmuone said it has now secured an extensive distribution network with 20 retailers across the United States, ranging from hypermarkets to convenience stores in large cities down to county and town levels.

The company estimates there are about 20,000 retail outlets in the U.S. with the capacity to carry kimchi. It plans to reach out to the remaining half to further expand its offline presence.

Pulmuone said the authentic taste of its “Made-in-Korea” kimchi appears to be a large part of its appeal among Americans.

Being a fermented dish, kimchi is typically thought of as having to be produced locally because of the difficulties of maintaining the right temperature and storage conditions.

But the types of cabbages and radishes - the main ingredients of kimchi - and the conditions in which they grow tend to differ by country. Subtle differences in soil and air could also affect the fermentation process, making the kimchi lose its signature pungent, tangy flavor, according to the company.

Despite logistics concerns during export, Pulmuone said it plans to continue spreading its Korea-made kimchi in the U.S. and elsewhere.

By Shim Hee-jin and Kim Hyo-jin

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]