Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang is entering the U.S. spirits market with jari, a premium Korean spirits brand now available at select retailers and Michelin-starred Korean restaurants in New York. The move signals a calculated bet that the K-food wave sweeping American dining can pull Korean distilled spirits along with it — much the way Japanese cuisine elevated sake and sake-adjacent categories in the U.S. on-premise channel.
The Products
The U.S. launch introduces three expressions: jari Moonbaesool 24 (24% ABV), jari Moonbaesool 41 (41% ABV), and jari Gamuchi 24 (24% ABV). All three are aged through four seasons in traditional, unglazed Onggi earthenware jars. Moonbaesool traces its lineage to Korea's Goryeo Dynasty, distilled from millet, sorghum, and rice; it was designated a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Korea in 1986. Gamuchi, made from Chungju rice, takes its name from Korea's native freshwater fish and is positioned as a more approachable, rice-forward expression with a silky texture and savory finish. Ahead of the U.S. rollout, all three products received top honors at the 2026 IWSC and ISC international spirits competitions.
On-Premise Strategy
The brand's positioning is deliberately food-forward — a meaningful signal for restaurant operators evaluating beverage program innovation in a crowded spirits market. Jari's name derives from the Korean word 자리, meaning a "place" or "seat" where people gather to share food and drinks, and the brand's go-to-market strategy leans directly into that concept. To mark its U.S. debut, CJ Foods hosted an intimate five-course Korean pairing dinner called The Beginning of jari at New York's Moono on September 22. The meal was curated by Michelin-starred chef Hoyoung Kim, hosted by Korean American chef and author Irene Yoo, and featured jari served both neat and in cocktails by Seoul-based mixologist Du-ui Hong of Pine & Co.
"In Korean culture, food and drinks go hand in hand," said Yoo, author of SOJU PARTY and Chef/Owner of Orion Bar. "There's so much to discover in Korean spirits, and they don't have to feel unfamiliar. They're meant to be enjoyed around the table with food, with friends."
Gregory Yep, CEO of CJ Foods' Lifestyle Food Business division, framed the launch within the broader arc of Korean culture's global momentum. "We believe jari can help open new possibilities for how Korean spirits are discovered, served, and enjoyed," he said.
What It Means for Operators
For restaurant and hospitality professionals, jari's arrival presents a concrete opportunity to extend Korean dining experiences beyond the plate — a category gap that has existed even as Korean cuisine has moved firmly into the mainstream. Operators running Korean fine-dining concepts or multicultural beverage programs now have a domestic-market option that can anchor a spirits-pairing menu, replace soju as a more premium pour, or anchor cocktail development. The versatility of the lineup — ranging from a lighter 24% ABV rice spirit to a fuller-proof 41% ABV grain expression — also gives beverage directors flexibility across different service and price-point contexts.
The launch follows CJ CheilJedang's well-documented restaurant and foodservice expansion strategy in North America, where its bibigo™ brand has already established itself as the No. 1 label in the U.S. B2C dumplings category. Adding a spirits arm under the CJ Foods umbrella deepens the company's ability to pitch itself as a full Korean culinary platform to foodservice buyers, not simply a packaged-goods supplier. For more on the intersection of global food brands and the U.S. on-premise market, Food & Beverage Magazine has tracked the category closely.
Jari is currently available at select stores and premium Korean restaurants in New York, with broader distribution expected to follow.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
