CJ Foods, a business unit of Seoul, South Korea-based CJ CheilJedang, has appointed Dr. Gregory Yep, former head of the R&D Center at International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), as the new chief technology officer of its Global Food R&D division.
Yep comes to the company, which produces and markets over 100 different products including Bibigo brand frozen mandu (Korean-style dumplings) and K-chicken, with more than 30 years of extensive experience in the research and development field. His career began at McCormick in 1993 after earning a doctorate in organic chemistry from Johns Hopkins University. Over the past three decades, he served in various R&D roles at several well-established food and beverage companies, including PepsiCo.
Yep’s scientific and technical expertise is closely aligned with CJ Foods’ key strategic goals, such as GSP (Global Strategic Product) scale-up, international territory expansion, and identification of white space opportunities. He has a strong commitment to sustainability, with an emphasis on carbon footprint reduction through sustainable packaging development, manufacturing processes and supply chain management.
“We’re delighted that someone of Greg’s caliber is contributing to our vision of becoming a global leader in food,” said CEO Minsok Pak. “Our leading Korean food products under the Bibigo brand are already beloved by consumers all over the world, and we are excited about the leadership that Greg will provide in our efforts to create a world-class R&D organization.”
Armed with both R&D expertise and insightful business acumen, Yep has earned a reputation as an astute strategist for his pivotal role in delivering commercial expansion and globalization as a chief technology officer. For example, while at PepsiCo, he led innovation of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to shift the brand’s value proposition from a thirst quencher to a healthy sports drink, successfully revitalizing t its business performance.
More About CJ Foods
CJ Foods, a business unit of CJ CheilJedang, offers a variety of products ranging from frozen and chilled foods to seasonings, sauces, cooking oils and other ingredients. Having generated global sales of 11.1 trillion KRW in 2022, it operates over 60 sites in multiple regions worldwide including South Korea, the USA (Schwan’s Company), China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe and Oceania.
