Foodist, a food ingredients company, said on Monday it posted an operating profit of 8.2 billion won last year. Revenue was 1.0766 trillion won, up 7.1 percent from a year earlier.

It was the company’s biggest result a year after it was incorporated into Sajo Group. The company said it attributed the improvement to balanced growth across all business divisions and synergy effects with Sajo Group. Operating profit rose 12-fold from a year earlier, improving profitability.

The contracted food service and concession (FS) division, a key growth driver, grew 21.2 percent from a year earlier. The company said it recorded the highest growth rate versus competitors, driving the overall increase in results. It strengthened menu competitiveness by upgrading operational capabilities at existing sites and running special menus through brand collaborations.

It said it built a foundation for mid- to long-term growth by securing new large clients, including winning operating rights for expressway rest areas and adding High1 Resort and Sono International. It said it improved customer satisfaction by running collaboration special menus with brands such as Shake Shack and Chai 797. It also said it secured operational efficiency and cost competitiveness by introducing a menu artificial intelligence system and kitchen automation equipment.

The meal-ingredient division grew 9.4 percent from a year earlier. The company said it expanded revenue and strengthened supply stability and cost efficiency by bolstering customised solution sales for strategic clients and building a field-focused rapid response system.

The company said it plans this year to diversify its food ingredients lineup, including launching a care-focused brand, and expand customised solutions for clients.

In the product division, its private brand Food Ingredient King posted revenue of more than 200 billion won. For overseas brands, it said it strengthened product competitiveness by building a stable supply chain based on direct imports through expanded global sourcing, including VINO and FRITATOES. It said a project to supply misshapen agricultural produce expanded collaboration with farms, while simultaneously achieving cost reductions and an environmental, social and governance co-growth model.

Synergy effects through collaboration among Sajo Group affiliates also gained momentum. In the FS division, it operated Daerimseon Studio 24/7, an experiential food and beverage flagship space at a water park. It offered signature menus, including Daerimseon skewer fish cake udon and Sanuki udon cutlet set meals, by turning winning entries from Sajo Daerim’s contest into actual dishes. The product division also launched items such as Korean flour rice-based pancake mix, frying mix and pork cutlet products through a strategic crop package business, achieving both co-growth with domestic farms and product differentiation.

A Foodist official said, "Last year’s strong performance was the result of enhanced competitiveness across orders, operations and products, and the full-scale visibility of synergy with Sajo Group." The official added, "This year as well, we will continue the growth trend by pursuing customer-focused strategies and strengthening business expertise."