CJ opens store for prepared meals

Korean foods retailer CJ CheilJedang has opened its first “home meal replacement” (HMR) store, called CJ Olive Market, in Seoul.

The 443sqm store is located at CJ CheilJedang headquarters building, and is divided into two areas – a restaurant where customers can buy food from a vending machine or cooked on-site by chefs – and a grocery store.

Th team of CJ chefs will come up with new menu items every two months.

CJ has also developed a smartphone app that allows customers to buy products by scanning codes printed on products or table mats in the store.

“Our HMR business will evolve into a future-oriented business that suggests integrated menus for home meals,” said Son Eun-kyung, head of CJ CheilJedang’s food marketing division.

The company also plans to develop a virtual reality store.

CJ CheilJedang hopes its new HMR range will help it grow sales to US$3.3 billion by 2020.