Meet Suji Park, leading the woman-owned business, Suji’s Cuisine, with the mission of bringing the authentic flavors of Asia to the global stage.
Your background is quite diverse. Could you tell us about your journey and how it shaped your career?
My journey has been one of transformation, creativity, and a deep passion for bringing people together. I was born and raised in Seoul, and my early years were shaped by my artistic pursuits. I studied the Gayageum, a traditional Korean string instrument, and attended art school. However, my true passion lay in business, which led me to pursue fashion marketing—a field I later studied in New York City.
While living in New York, I discovered a new perspective on life and culture. After immersing myself in fashion marketing, I realized it wasn’t the path I wanted to follow. Over the course of a decade in New York, I embraced diverse experiences that shaped my appreciation for the city’s dynamic cultural and culinary landscape.
What inspired you to venture into the food industry?
When I was in New York, I spent a lot of time in Korean Town, which became a place of comfort for me. The food, the atmosphere, and the sense of belonging were incredibly inspiring. When I returned to Korea, I wanted to recreate that experience—not just for myself but for others. My vision was to introduce the flavors and culture of New York to Korea, especially for foreigners and Koreans who had lived abroad.
My goal was to create a place where people could feel at home, offering American-style hospitality with English-speaking staff to recreate the welcoming atmosphere of New York. That’s how I opened my first restaurant in Itaewon, a neighborhood celebrated for its international appeal.
Your first restaurant was quite successful. How did that impact your next steps?
The restaurant gained widespread recognition, being featured in outlets such as The New York Times and CNN for its celebrated American food in Korea. Building on that success, I expanded the concept to Japan, eventually growing the restaurant group to include 10 locations across Seoul and Tokyo. At one point, I was also managing cafeterias within U.S. embassies in both Korea and Japan.
At what point did you shift your focus from restaurants to ready-to-eat products?
After seeing the success of the restaurants, I realized there was an even greater opportunity to bring restaurant-quality products to people’s homes. My goal was to introduce high-quality, ready-to-eat products to major retail and wholesale stores like Costco. Five years after opening my first restaurant, that goal became a reality.
As I began focusing on developing ready-to-eat products, innovation became a key priority. We are constantly seeking advanced food technologies to bring restaurant-quality meals to customers. About 15 years ago, I discovered a technology called high-pressure pasteurization (HPP), which allows for longer food shelf life while maintaining quality. To leverage this breakthrough, I turned to the University of Nebraska, which was conducting leading research in this field. I moved to Nebraska and worked with the university to develop our first refrigerated bulgogi—fully cooked and with an extended shelf life—for Costco in the United States.
Today, we deliver premium products to Costco and other major retailers worldwide, with operations in Korea, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.
Your products span both Asian and Western cuisines. What is your branding strategy to navigate these very different markets?
Our branding strategy is unique because we work across two very different markets, leveraging our deep understanding of both. For example, our bestseller item in Korea is a Western product like grilled chicken breast, while globally, we are also selling bungeoppang—known as taiyaki in Japan. This reflects how we are actively working on cross-cultural development. While we bring authentic Western food products to Asian countries, we also introduce authentic Asian products to the US and European markets. It’s truly cross-development between two continents because we know Asian and Western food and culture.
We focus on authenticity, creating high-quality products with premium ingredients while adapting to the specific needs of different markets. For instance, the European market prefers flavors that are less salty and less sweet and has very strict regulations regarding ingredients. On the other hand, the American market is more accustomed to saltier and sweeter profiles, making it more familiar with certain flavor intensities.
This creates a unique challenge when introducing authentic Korean food to different regions. It’s not just about maintaining authenticity; it’s also about understanding the flavor profiles and regulations of each country. Our strategy is to tailor our products to meet the mainstream tastes and requirements of each market while ensuring that the essence of the cuisine remains intact.
What sets your brand apart in the competitive food industry?
While we serve our products in the global market, we remain a much smaller company compared to giants like CJ, Ajinomoto, or Nestle. However, we see this as a competitive advantage, as it allows us to quickly adopt innovation and maintain a level of agility that sets us apart. With our experience developing food products across Korea, Japan, the US, Europe, and China, we can leverage advanced food technologies and collaborate with different manufacturers to tailor products for specific markets. Additionally, instead of focusing on big categories like instant ramen or dumplings, we specialize in protein-based items that often need to be manufactured locally to meet market demands.
Where do you see your business heading in the future?
The future is about staying innovative and responsive to consumer needs. Food trends are constantly changing, and I believe our ability to adapt while maintaining our core values will ensure our continued success. Personally, I spent the last 13 years in the United States developing our business there. Recently, we began working in the European market, building products in the Netherlands to distribute to the UK and other European countries.
The European market represents our future, as the Asian category is experiencing one of the highest demands in this region. With over 20 years of experience in food restaurants, product development, and global operations, we believe we have a strong advantage in succeeding in this market. Our quick response to market changes is another key strength, allowing us to meet consumer needs faster and more effectively than larger competitors. Bringing the flavors of Korea and other global cuisines to more tables is what drives me every day.
Korean food is often described as a social occasion. How do you see this aspect influencing its global appeal?
Korean food has a strong communal element, which is one of the things that makes it unique and appealing. Meals are not just about eating but about sharing experiences and connecting with others. For instance, Korean BBQ brings people together to cook and enjoy food at the table, creating a sense of togetherness. I believe this communal aspect resonates with global audiences, especially in a world where people are seeking more meaningful and shared experiences. This is a key part of the cultural story we aim to convey through our products.
You’ve also spoken about sustainability. How does Suji’s Cuisine address environmental concerns in the food industry?
Sustainability is an essential focus for us, but it also presents unique challenges. For example, while we produce bulgogi and ready-to-eat meals in local markets like the U.S. and Europe, this isn’t just about reducing the carbon footprint—it’s also because we can’t export meat to these countries due to strict regulations. By manufacturing locally, we can ensure our products meet each country’s packaging standards and regulatory requirements, while also minimizing environmental impact.
However, sustainability comes with a paradox. Consumers are increasingly aware of environmental issues, but many are hesitant to pay more for sustainable products. This creates a tension between producing responsibly and staying competitive in the market. While we strive to reduce our carbon footprint through innovation and localization, it’s clear that industry-wide change is needed to address these systemic challenges. Balancing sustainability goals with affordability remains one of the biggest hurdles for food businesses today.
Korean food has often been described as “the next big thing” in global cuisine. Why hasn’t it achieved the widespread success that many predicted?
This has been a discussion for over 20 years. While there is growing interest in Korean food, several factors have limited its global reach. For example, although K-pop, K-beauty, and K-culture have gained immense popularity worldwide, there aren’t enough Korean restaurants to make the cuisine more familiar and accessible to mainstream audiences. People need to be accustomed to the flavors and diversity of a cuisine to embrace it fully.
Another issue is the lack of education around Korean food and its flavors. Many people still only associate Korean cuisine with dishes like kimchi and bulgogi, but there is so much more to explore. To bridge this gap, we need to focus on introducing a broader range of dishes and flavors to global markets while also creating opportunities for consumers to learn about the richness of Korean culinary culture. Meanwhile, Asian food as a category has seen an 8% growth rate in markets like the U.S. and Europe, which shows the potential for Korean food to thrive if we can address these challenges.
Fore more information please visit: https://sujiscuisine.com/
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