The UK kimchi market has grown enormously in recent years. We tasted five brands available in shops and online to find the ones worth your money and the ones that miss the mark.
The UK Kimchi Landscape
Finding kimchi in Britain used to mean a trip to a specialist Korean shop in New Malden or Soho. Now it sits on the shelves of Sainsbury's, Waitrose, and Tesco alongside the sauerkraut and pickles. But not all kimchi is created equal. The gap between a properly fermented, garlicky, funky Korean kimchi and a mild, barely-fermented jar aimed at Western palates is enormous. We tried five brands to sort the real thing from the pretenders.
The Rankings
**1. Jongga Real Kimchi** — This is the gold standard for shop-bought kimchi in the UK. Made in Korea by Daesang (one of the country's largest food companies), it has the authentic sour tang of proper fermentation, a good level of heat, and the right crunchy-yet-yielding texture. The garlic and fish sauce flavours come through clearly. If you want kimchi that tastes like it does in Seoul, this is the one.
**2. CJ Bibigo Sliced Kimchi** — A close second. Bibigo's version is pre-sliced and slightly milder than Jongga, which makes it more accessible if you are new to kimchi. It ferments well in the jar if you leave it in the fridge for a few extra days. Good value at five pounds for 500g.
**3. Chongga Mat Kimchi** — Another Daesang brand, Chongga is reliably good and widely stocked in Asian supermarkets. The cut cabbage format is convenient for cooking — throw it straight into a stew or fried rice without chopping. Slightly less complex in flavour than Jongga but still authentically Korean.
**4. Lucky Food Seoul Kimchi** — A US-Korean brand that has made its way to UK Amazon. It is vegan (no fish sauce) and organic, which will matter to some buyers. The flavour is clean and fresh but lacks the deep fermented funk that makes great kimchi so compelling. A solid option for plant-based eaters.
**5. Vadasz Kimchi** — Made in the UK and available in most supermarkets. It is fine as an introduction, but it tastes more like spicy pickled cabbage than real kimchi. The fermentation is minimal and the chilli heat is low. At just over three pounds it is the cheapest option, and you get what you pay for.
Fresh vs Aged
Kimchi is a living food that changes over time. Fresh (geotjeori) kimchi is crunchy and bright. Aged kimchi is sour, soft, and deeply flavoured — ideal for cooking. If you buy a jar and find it too fresh for your taste, leave it in the fridge for a week or two and it will develop more character. Once opened, kimchi keeps for months in the fridge and only gets better for cooking purposes as it ages.
K-Food → Top picks
Best Kimchi Brands in the UK, Ranked
Five kimchi brands you can actually buy here, honestly reviewed.
Kimchi is a living food that changes over time. Fresh (geotjeori) kimchi is crunchy and bright. Aged kimchi is sour, soft, and deeply flavoured — ideal for cooking. If you buy a jar and find it too fresh for your taste, leave it in the fridge for a week or two and it will develop more character. Once opened, kimchi keeps for months in the fridge and only gets better for cooking purposes as it ages.
5. Vadasz Kimchi — Made in the UK and available in most supermarkets. It is fine as an introduction, but it tastes more like spicy pickled cabbage than real kimchi. The fermentation is minimal and the chilli heat is low. At just over three pounds it is the cheapest option, and you get what you pay for.
4. Lucky Food Seoul Kimchi — A US-Korean brand that has made its way to UK Amazon. It is vegan (no fish sauce) and organic, which will matter to some buyers. The flavour is clean and fresh but lacks the deep fermented funk that makes great kimchi so compelling. A solid option for plant-based eaters.
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3. Chongga Mat Kimchi — Another Daesang brand, Chongga is reliably good and widely stocked in Asian supermarkets. The cut cabbage format is convenient for cooking — throw it straight into a stew or fried rice without chopping. Slightly less complex in flavour than Jongga but still authentically Korean.
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The Rankings
1. Jongga Real Kimchi — This is the gold standard for shop-bought kimchi in the UK. Made in Korea by Daesang (one of the country's largest food companies), it has the authentic sour tang of proper fermentation, a good level of heat, and the right crunchy-yet-yielding texture. The garlic and fish sauce flavours come through clearly. If you want kimchi that tastes like it does in Seoul, this is the one.
2. CJ Bibigo Sliced Kimchi — A close second. Bibigo's version is pre-sliced and slightly milder than Jongga, which makes it more accessible if you are new to kimchi. It ferments well in the jar if you leave it in the fridge for a few extra days. Good value at five pounds for 500g.
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The UK Kimchi Landscape
Finding kimchi in Britain used to mean a trip to a specialist Korean shop in New Malden or Soho. Now it sits on the shelves of Sainsbury's, Waitrose, and Tesco alongside the sauerkraut and pickles. But not all kimchi is created equal. The gap between a properly fermented, garlicky, funky Korean kimchi and a mild, barely-fermented jar aimed at Western palates is enormous. We tried five brands to sort the real thing from the pretenders.