Frozen kimbap arrived in US retail as a viral moment. In 2026 it reads differently: two national chains, two separate Korean manufacturers, and a category that behaves like a fixture rather than a trend.
Two major US retailers now carry frozen kimbap: Trader Joe's, which introduced the category in 2023, and Costco, which added its own line in 2024 from a different manufacturer. Frozen kimbap is no longer available at a single chain.
The presence of different Korean manufacturers across two major US retailers suggests a broader supplier base for frozen kimbap. However, each retailer still needs to assess supplier capacity, quality controls and supply continuity independently.Trader Joe's kimbap comes from Allgot, a Gumi-based manufacturer founded in 2020. Costco's line comes from a separate Korean manufacturer, sold under the Hanwoomul label.
Frozen kimbap entered US retail in August 2023, when Allgot began shipping to Trader Joe's. The product sold out nationwide within about two weeks after a TikTok video by creator Sarah Ahn (@ahnestkitchen) drew nearly 11 million views. The first 250 tons sold out within weeks, and a full restock took until late October 2023.
Frozen Korean food's scale-up predates the Costco listing. Bibigo, CJ CheilJedang's frozen food brand, grew US retail sales more than 1,100% between 2019 and 2023, reaching over $500 million and expanding into more than 60,000 US retail locations, a 270% increase over the same period, according to trade press reporting. That growth shows the infrastructure frozen Korean food already had in US retail before a second kimbap manufacturer entered the category.
Frozen kimbap has expanded beyond its initial viral success, with different Korean manufacturers supplying two major US retailers. For buyers, this creates opportunities to explore the category while evaluating long-term demand, supplier reliability and frozen distribution capabilities. The open question for buyers is whether additional manufacturer or private-label opportunities remain in this category, or whether Bibigo and the two active kimbap makers have already claimed most of the near-term shelf space.
Yes, at two. Trader Joe's carried it first in 2023; Costco added its own line in 2024.
No. Trader Joe's kimbap comes from Allgot; Costco's comes from a separate Korean manufacturer sold as Hanwoomul.
Bibigo's US retail sales grew more than 1,100% from 2019 to 2023, reaching over 60,000 stores, per trade press reporting.
