BokManSa Co., Ltd. has made history as the first company in South Korea to commercialize frozen gimbap, creating a groundbreaking product with a shelf life of up to 12 months—significantly longer than the traditional refrigerated gimbap, which could only last for three days. In addition, the company has developed a specialized container that evenly heats the gimbap in under three minutes, ensuring quick preparation. By leveraging the phenomenon of resistant starch, which occurs during the freezing process of rice, BokManSa has developed a low-calorie version of frozen gimbap. This involves reducing the starch from grains and incorporating plant-based proteins to create a low-sugar frozen gimbap product. This innovative process reduces the starch content while incorporating plant-based proteins, resulting in low-sugar frozen gimbap options. Typically, gimbap is composed of rice and a variety of fillings in equal proportions. Over the past year, BokManSa has produced 5 million gimbap, using over 600 tons of domestically sourced agricultural, fishery, and livestock products. This includes approximately 300 tons of rice and 300 tons of ingredients such as carrots, beef, fish cakes, and seaweed. With each gimbap roll measuring 23 cm, the total length of all rolls is 1,150 km.

BokManSa offers a diverse range of frozen gimbap, including “regular gimbap,” “protein gimbap,” “vegan gimbap,” “ketogenic gimbap,” “halal/kosher certified gimbap,” and “carbohydrate-restricted gimbap.” The general gimbap is the closest product to the original form of gimbap, and it is suitable for everyone. The protein gimbap is designed for customers seeking low-carb, high-protein options, while the vegan gimbap is made with wholesome grains and plant-based ingredients. The ketogenic gimbap is crafted using plant-based meat and is low-carb and high-fat, making it an ideal product for those following a keto diet. Halal and Kosher-certified gimbap are produced in accordance with the strict dietary laws of the Islamic and Jewish faiths. BokManSa has developed over 100 varieties of gimbap through partnerships, including unique offerings such as cabbage egg konjac gimbap, 11:45 vegan gimbap, plant-based bulgogi & spicy pepper gimbap, and plant-based tuna gimbap.

In 2021, BokManSa received international vegan certification for ten frozen gimbap items, including “vegan gochujang bibimbap kimbap” and “vegan japchae gimbap.” In 2022, they achieved FSC22000 food safety certification for gimbap, cheese sticks, and tart production. They also received ISO 22000 food management safety certification in 2021. In 2023, the company received HALAL certification, and in 2024, it received KOSHER certification.

BokManSa has consistently expanded its export markets, achieving USD 472,000 in exports to seven countries in 2021. These included USD 397,000 to Hong Kong, USD 29,000 to the United States, and USD 28,000 to Japan. In 2022, exports increased to USD 502,000 across ten countries, with key markets including USD 263,000 to Hong Kong, USD 65,000 to Taiwan, and USD 59,000 to France. In 2023, the company reached a total of USD 1.07 million in exports to 19 countries, including USD 765,000 to the United States, USD 54,000 to the United Kingdom, and USD 51,000 to Canada.