ANDONG — Nearly two years after a catastrophic wildfire reduced its facilities to ashes, Korean meat-processing firm JEO Food has officially unveiled its brand-new, highly automated manufacturing plant in Andong, Gyeongbuk Province.

The company held a grand opening ceremony on Monday at the Gyeongbuk Bio 2nd General Industrial Complex in Pungsan-eup. The event drew approximately 150 key stakeholders, including Gyeongbuk Province Vice Governor for Economic Affairs Yang Geum-hee, Andong City Council Chairman Lee Jae-gab, and National Gyeongguk University President Jung Tae-joo.

The milestone marks a triumphant return for JEO Food, whose former production base in Iljik-myeon was completely destroyed by a massive regional wildfire on March 25 of last year. Faced with the daunting task of finding a safe and suitable alternative site away from high-risk forest zones, the company chose to double down on its roots. Rather than relocating out of the region, JEO Food partnered with local government bodies to spearhead a local reinvestment initiative.

Following a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in July of last year, local authorities—including the Gyeongbuk provincial government and Andong city administration—backed the project with 1.5 billion KRW in site and facility subsidies to facilitate a smooth resettlement.

Spanning a total site area of 5,144 square meters with a floor area of 4,350 square meters, the new facility represents an investment of over 10 billion KRW. The upgraded infrastructure boasts a production capacity five times greater than its predecessor, allowing the company to process upwards of 10,000 heads of Korean beef offal (hanwoo byproduct) per month.

A standout feature of the new plant is its heavy pivot toward automation. In a domestic industry first, the facility integrates three heavy-duty operational robots, specialized food-grade hoists, and large-scale extraction tanks. This technological leap replaces traditional labor-intensive workflows with a cutting-edge, HACCP-compliant hygienic production environment, setting a new benchmark for smart manufacturing in the sector.

Founded in 2014, JEO Food has grown into Gyeongbuk’s leading beef byproduct processor, handling over 40,000 heads annually. Known widely for its "Andong Hanwoo Gopchang" brand, the company operates both online channels and physical storefronts, ranging from its direct branch in Yangjae, Seoul, to overseas locations in Hanoi, Vietnam.

With the new plant fully operational, JEO Food plans to diversify its product portfolio into processed meat goods and pet snacks, while aggressively expanding its domestic franchise footprint and accelerating its global outreach under the banner of K-food.

"We were able to rise from the ashes thanks to the steadfast loyalty of our clients and the invaluable backing of Gyeongbuk Province and Andong City," said JEO Food CEO Jeon Hyun-jun during the ceremony. "We are committed to giving back to the community by creating more local jobs and fulfilling our duty as a proud hometown enterprise."

Echoing this sentiment, Vice Governor Yang Geum-hee praised the company’s resilience. "JEO Food's new plant is a testament to resilience, turning the pain of a major wildfire into a springboard for future growth," Yang noted. "We extend our deepest gratitude to the company for choosing to reinvest in our region, and we remain dedicated to fostering the growth of future food industries, including K-food and food-tech."

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