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- Held February 18–20 in Chiba, Japan, with approximately 2,200 exhibitors and over 70,000 expected visitors
- Showcasing flagship products including Jongga Ilpum Kimchi and O'food Gochujang, alongside four tasting menus reflecting local food trends
SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Daesang Corporation, a leading Korean food company, announced on February 11 that it will participate for the first time in Supermarket Trade Show 2026 (SMTS 2026), Japan's largest food and distribution exhibition, to be held from February 18 to 20 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.
Marking its 60th anniversary this year, SMTS (Supermarket Trade Show) has been hosted annually by the National Supermarket Association of Japan since 1967 and is widely recognized as the country's premier distribution trade fair. The 2026 edition is expected to feature approximately 2,200 companies from 16 countries, attracting more than 70,000 visitors, including Japanese and global retail buyers.
Widely regarded as Korea's representative comprehensive food company, Daesang has built a broad product portfolio over the past 70 years, spanning seasonings, fermented sauces, kimchi, sauces, and processed foods, steadily expanding its presence in global markets. Through its inaugural participation at SMTS 2026, Daesang plans to showcase its differentiated competitiveness by highlighting fermented sauces and kimchi products rooted in its fermentation technology, while further strengthening its foothold in the Japanese market.
At the Daesang booth, the company will showcase flagship products from Jongga, Korea's No.1* kimchi brand, and O'food, its global food brand, drawing on its expertise as one of the world's leading fermentation specialists. Key products include Jongga Ilpum Kimchi, crafted through Jongga's proprietary traditional process and matured with five specially selected seafood ingredients to deliver the rich umami flavor of authentic Korean kimchi. The company will also feature Jongga Mildly Fermented Kimchi, designed to offer a lighter, more approachable taste for Japanese consumers who are new to kimchi. In addition, Daesang will introduce O'food Gochujang, made using traditional methods inherited from Sunchang, Korea's renowned gochujang-producing region, highlighting the appeal of K-food through differentiated, heritage-driven products.
* Source: NIELSEN KOREA, 2007–2024 Kimchi Sales Volume & Value
To help Japanese consumers experience the flavors of authentic fermented foods in a more familiar way, Daesang will operate an ongoing tasting program inspired by local food culture trends. Under the concept of "Delica menus", which have gained popularity in Japanese supermarkets, the program will present creative recipes incorporating kimchi and gochujang. The four tasting items include trendy Korean-style dishes such as Stir-fried Kimchi Egg Gimbap and Water Dropwort Gochujang Shrimp Gangjeong, as well as "Neo-Japanese" menu items that blend Korean fermented flavors into everyday Japanese cuisine, including Kimchi Tuna Mayo Sando and Gochujang Nikujaga (Japanese-style simmered beef and potatoes).
The booth design has also been carefully curated. Inspired by Daesang's corporate identity, the booth features a horizontal "Big Tree" structure symbolizing the company's vision of continuous growth and expansion, expressed through the imagery of expanding tree rings. Large LED screens and a layout modeled after an actual supermarket display allow visiting buyers to intuitively experience product shelving and in-store merchandising concepts. Notably, traditional Korean mother-of-pearl craftsmanship—representing Korea's spirit of kodawari (こだわり), or meticulous dedication to quality—has been incorporated across the booth, including product brochures and tasting containers, to convey Daesang's craftsmanship and quality philosophy.
"Participation in SMTS 2026 marks a meaningful opportunity to introduce Daesang's uniquely differentiated products, which encapsulate our fermentation technology and expertise, to the Japanese food and distribution market," said Lim Jung-bae, CEO of Daesang Corporation. "We hope visitors will enjoy the diverse appeal of K-food through our fermented sauces and kimchi products, which offer new and exciting taste experiences while reflecting local Japanese food culture trends."
About Daesang Corporation
Founded in 1956, Daesang Corporation has been one of the world's largest producers of fermented food products for 70 years, and has grown to be the global leading Korean based food company by operating global brands such as Jongga, and O'food which provides kimchi, sauce, ready-to-eat meals, and many more products. Headquartered in South Korea, the company has also manufacturing subsidiaries in United States, Poland, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Visit www.daesang.com/en for more information.
- Held February 18–20 in Chiba, Japan, with approximately 2,200 exhibitors and over 70,000 expected visitors
- Showcasing flagship products including Jongga Ilpum Kimchi and O'food Gochujang, alongside four tasting menus reflecting local food trends
SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Daesang Corporation, a leading Korean food company, announced on February 11 that it will participate for the first time in Supermarket Trade Show 2026 (SMTS 2026), Japan's largest food and distribution exhibition, to be held from February 18 to 20 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.
Marking its 60th anniversary this year, SMTS (Supermarket Trade Show) has been hosted annually by the National Supermarket Association of Japan since 1967 and is widely recognized as the country's premier distribution trade fair. The 2026 edition is expected to feature approximately 2,200 companies from 16 countries, attracting more than 70,000 visitors, including Japanese and global retail buyers.
Widely regarded as Korea's representative comprehensive food company, Daesang has built a broad product portfolio over the past 70 years, spanning seasonings, fermented sauces, kimchi, sauces, and processed foods, steadily expanding its presence in global markets. Through its inaugural participation at SMTS 2026, Daesang plans to showcase its differentiated competitiveness by highlighting fermented sauces and kimchi products rooted in its fermentation technology, while further strengthening its foothold in the Japanese market.
At the Daesang booth, the company will showcase flagship products from Jongga, Korea's No.1* kimchi brand, and O'food, its global food brand, drawing on its expertise as one of the world's leading fermentation specialists. Key products include Jongga Ilpum Kimchi, crafted through Jongga's proprietary traditional process and matured with five specially selected seafood ingredients to deliver the rich umami flavor of authentic Korean kimchi. The company will also feature Jongga Mildly Fermented Kimchi, designed to offer a lighter, more approachable taste for Japanese consumers who are new to kimchi. In addition, Daesang will introduce O'food Gochujang, made using traditional methods inherited from Sunchang, Korea's renowned gochujang-producing region, highlighting the appeal of K-food through differentiated, heritage-driven products.
* Source: NIELSEN KOREA, 2007–2024 Kimchi Sales Volume & Value
To help Japanese consumers experience the flavors of authentic fermented foods in a more familiar way, Daesang will operate an ongoing tasting program inspired by local food culture trends. Under the concept of "Delica menus", which have gained popularity in Japanese supermarkets, the program will present creative recipes incorporating kimchi and gochujang. The four tasting items include trendy Korean-style dishes such as Stir-fried Kimchi Egg Gimbap and Water Dropwort Gochujang Shrimp Gangjeong, as well as "Neo-Japanese" menu items that blend Korean fermented flavors into everyday Japanese cuisine, including Kimchi Tuna Mayo Sando and Gochujang Nikujaga (Japanese-style simmered beef and potatoes).
The booth design has also been carefully curated. Inspired by Daesang's corporate identity, the booth features a horizontal "Big Tree" structure symbolizing the company's vision of continuous growth and expansion, expressed through the imagery of expanding tree rings. Large LED screens and a layout modeled after an actual supermarket display allow visiting buyers to intuitively experience product shelving and in-store merchandising concepts. Notably, traditional Korean mother-of-pearl craftsmanship—representing Korea's spirit of kodawari (こだわり), or meticulous dedication to quality—has been incorporated across the booth, including product brochures and tasting containers, to convey Daesang's craftsmanship and quality philosophy.
"Participation in SMTS 2026 marks a meaningful opportunity to introduce Daesang's uniquely differentiated products, which encapsulate our fermentation technology and expertise, to the Japanese food and distribution market," said Lim Jung-bae, CEO of Daesang Corporation. "We hope visitors will enjoy the diverse appeal of K-food through our fermented sauces and kimchi products, which offer new and exciting taste experiences while reflecting local Japanese food culture trends."
About Daesang Corporation
Founded in 1956, Daesang Corporation has been one of the world's largest producers of fermented food products for 70 years, and has grown to be the global leading Korean based food company by operating global brands such as Jongga, and O'food which provides kimchi, sauce, ready-to-eat meals, and many more products. Headquartered in South Korea, the company has also manufacturing subsidiaries in United States, Poland, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Visit www.daesang.com/en for more information.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Daesang Makes First Appearance at Japan's Largest Food & Distribution Trade Show, SMTS 2026, Signaling Full-Scale Entry into the Japanese Market
ANSHUN, China, May 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 21, at the Guizhou Anshun Tourism Development Conference, Mafengwo Travel Group officially launched three flagship "New Mountain Play" benchmark projects — Huangheying Water Cave, Lotus Ancient Cave, and Luoyang Glasswater Gorge — while jointly releasing the 2026 Anshun Mountain Outdoor New Play Playbook with the Anshun Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, TV and Tourism. By redefining mountain outdoor travel experiences through "new play," the initiative injects fresh momentum into Anshun's positioning as an international mountain tourism destination.
"Personalized travel is rising rapidly. Tourism is transitioning from a 'sightseeing economy' to an 'experience economy.' More than just 'having been there,' travelers today seek emotional value from scenic spots and related projects," said Chen Gang, Founder and CEO of Mafengwo, in a speech titled *Co-creating the Super Play Era of Mountain Tourism*. He noted that leveraging benchmark new-play projects such as Huangheying Water Cave, Lotus Ancient Cave, and Luoyang Glasswater Gorge, Mafengwo will work with Anshun to integrate "new play, new formats, new marketing, and new consumption" into a holistic innovation ecosystem for destination-wide play. Together, they aim to revitalize natural resources, energize industrial momentum, link rural revitalization, and jointly build Anshun into a national hub for new mountain play.
At a time when travelers are increasingly weary of "man-made check-in spots" and homogenized internet-famous projects, the newly launched projects abandon the old path of large-scale construction. Instead, they return to the wild itself, adopting a "light development, heavy experience" approach to create mountain plays that are "wild on the outside, refined on the inside." Huangheying Water Cave focuses on "natural wonders + interactive adventure," using its original "water-cave" karst features to create a genuine sense of "underground exploration." Lotus Ancient Cave, based on a massive natural cave, integrates "light ultimate" activities such as via ferrata, rappelling, and cave drop towers, allowing ordinary visitors to feel adrenaline-pumping "heart-racing moments" in a natural setting. Luoyang Glasswater Gorge follows the original river course, using natural elevation differences to design trails for hiking, canyoning, and waterfall rappelling, with minimal artificial construction, emphasizing the pristine "glass water" and an eco-harmonious, back-to-nature mountain experience.
At the "2026 Anshun Mountain Tourism New Play" sharing session, Mafengwo Travel Group and the Anshun Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, TV and Tourism jointly released the *2026 Anshun Mountain Outdoor New Play Playbook*. Ten selected plays in non-traditional mountain settings were featured, including "Night Tour of Dupo Tang — Immersive Journey into the World of Journey to the West," "Watch Intangible Cultural Heritage 'Spider-Man' Climb Cliffs for Bird's Nests," and "370-Meter Free Fall at Balinghe Bridge." These showcase how Anshun creatively uses its karst landscapes as a natural "amusement park" for mountain experiences.
He Weihong, Vice Mayor of Anshun, stated in his address: "In Anshun, the 'City of 21°C,' mountains are no longer just scenery to be viewed. They are living fields to be climbed, immersed in, jumped over, and breathed in. Anshun will take this conference as an opportunity to accelerate the internationalization of its mountain tourism and build a first-class mountain outdoor sports destination." During the event, Anshun Tourism Group also promoted its mountain outdoor travel routes.
By early 2026, the number of outdoor sports participants in China had exceeded 400 million, with participation in mountain hiking, trail running, rock climbing, and canyoning rising year by year. Driven by the dual trends of "nationwide fitness" and "pan-outdoor" activities, mountain play is moving from niche circles to the general public. Unlike the high barriers of traditional outdoor activities, Anshun's new plays target the blue ocean market of "light ultimate + strong experience + high shareability." Whether it's a "bridge bungee jump," checking out the natural wonder "Eye of the Great Sage," or experiencing a "Journey to the West fantasy" at night by Dupo Tang Waterfall — these activities are novel, beginner-friendly, and serve as natural content and social currency.
Anshun's mountain play innovation has also attracted international attention. Anouar, Chief Representative of the Tunisian National Tourism Office in China, noted in his speech that Anshun's innovation in integrating mountain tourism and sports is worth learning from for many international peers. He noted that Tunisia has diverse mountain resources across the country, with history embedded in the mountains and culture in the scenery — this is the unique charm of Tunisia's mountains. He looks forward to China-Tunisia cooperation to explore more mountain tourism opportunities and co-create new partnership models.
An international dialogue session brought together representatives from the Norwegian National Tourist Board, Visit Flanders (Belgium), and the Saudi Tourism Authority to discuss mountain outdoor tourism upgrade from a global perspective. The guests agreed that they were delighted to see that Anshun is not simply replicating a "Switzerland of the East" but is creating an entirely new "universal language of mountain tourism." The internationalization of mountain tourism is not about imitation but about excavating the unique narratives of local landscapes — with its green mountains and clear waters as the canvas and play innovation as the brush, Anshun is painting a vibrant new picture for the world.
A domestic dialogue session brought together frontier explorers, practitioners, and experts in mountain sports tourism to discuss the future development of mountain sports tourism from the perspectives of communities, products, and operations. Qin Chuan, Founder of Wanan Youth Travel, noted that with technological advancements and equipment iteration, more and more "outdoor novices" without professional training can enjoy the pleasures of the wild. Currently, Wanan Youth Travel is selecting and developing "super single products" and continuously improving service quality to deliver ultimate outdoor experiences to visitors.
After the conference, industry guests conducted on-site inspections of new play projects, including Lotus Ancient Cave, Dupo Tang Night Tour, Anshun Ancient Town, and Getu River. Wang Yu, Chief Representative of the Norwegian National Tourist Board in Greater China, remarked: "Anshun and Norway share many similarities. Anshun's new mountain plays emphasize 'light development, heavy experience.' Take Lotus Ancient Cave — it doesn't feel like a 'designed' scenic spot, but rather an extension of Anshun's natural mountain charm itself, an experiential field you can fully immerse yourself in. The scale of this 'light ultimate' experience is just right — thrilling enough, yet truly authentic."
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Light Ultimate, High Experience, Original Ecology, Personalization -- Mafengwo and Anshun Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, TV and Tourism Co-create New Forms of Mountain Tourism
Light Ultimate, High Experience, Original Ecology, Personalization -- Mafengwo and Anshun Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, TV and Tourism Co-create New Forms of Mountain Tourism
