The Korean-American community in New York is in a heated battle over kimchi. Kimchi is the most popular of all Korean foods [The major ingredients for traditional Korean kimchi are fermented Naba cabbage, red pepper, garlic, and ginger]. Koreans won't even begin a meal without it. Kimchi and rice combine in a wonderful harmony at the Korean table.

Kimchi is an alkaline; it breaks down proteins in the stomach by promoting pepsin. It contains large amounts of lactic acid bacteria. As it matures (ferments, like sauerkraut), it becomes both sweeter, and sourer. Kimchi has a proper PH of 4.6-4.2, and an acidity of 0.6-0.8. This balance is very healthy; kimchi's natural antibiotic action helps prevent constipation, remove toxins from the body, and constrain intestinal disease. Kimchi even helps promote longevity. Naba cabbage has a lot of fiber, red pepper a lot of vitamin C, and garlic and ginger help promote blood circulation, and even, as has been recently reported, protect against stomach cancer.

Koreans enjoy kimchi because of these health benefits. Kimchi is a national food, with recipes handed down from generation to generation. And no one complains if the garlic is too strong!

Therefore, the competition among kimchi companies in New York is very tight and fierce. The number of kimchi manufacturing companies is increasing and each company insists its product is superior to the others, based on taste, purity, organic materials and high quality.

Because of its immense popularity, because of its role as a traditional staple of the Korean diet, and because Koreans eat kimchi wherever they are around the world, New York has over 20 kimchi manufacturing companies. These include Arirang Kimchi, Dasom Kimchi, Beige Queen Kimchi, and Chonju Kimchi, all which produce many varieties of kimchi. New York's Kumgansan restaurant, the area’s Hanarum supermarkets, and Hansol Chanchijip offer banquet services and numerous side dishes that belong at every Korean meal.

Various kinds of lactobacillus kimchi are available in New York. For example, the Hanyang Market provides Hansol Chanchijip's Kimchi at their supermarkets. The Hanarum Markets serve their own kimchi, named "Tobak" (native); the Assi Plaza markets sell "Binggrae" (which means "smile" in Korean).

The kimchi company Beige Queen (president Kim, Deuk-won) recently held an "IH-22 lactobacillus kimchi" presentation. This IH-22 lactobacillus kimchi has its own patent. The president of this company said, "Our kimchi is a carefully prepared, high quality item." The New York Yusangyun Kimchi company, which also makes a lactobacillus kimchi, is aggressively marketing its product throughout New York. The company, which was established in 2005, produces eight varieties of kimchi, such as a "Full Leaf" Kimchi named "Pogi Kimchi", a "Cut Leaf" version, called "Mat Kimchi", a Sprout Kimchi, called "Put", and others. They are sold in Korean markets, Korean grocers, and Korean vegetable stores.

The Dasom Kimchi company (president Choi, Joo-jin) is really special. This company invented an "oriental medicine kimchi" by adding Oriental herbs, Asian mushrooms, and Korean fruits to their ingredients. Since this is a health food, no chemical additives or processed foods, such as garlic powder, are used in its preparation.

One person in the New York company noted, "kimchi is Korea's basic food: you can hardly be involved in Korean food sales if you are not involved in the sale of kimchi. Companies are really trying to grab a piece of the market, through kimchi, and then through other foods. And the competition is tough."