Kimchi has been a fundamental side dish in every Korean household for many generations. It has been gaining popularity all across the world, including in Malaysia, due to its delicious, distinctive flavour and pungent smell. Kimchi is versatile as it can be utilised in various Korean dishes such as Kimchi Stew, Kimchi Pancakes and many more. Do you know that Kimchi also can be eaten on its own? It is tasty enough to be snacked on any time of the day.
Kimchi is a fermented food and contains the “good bacteria”, which is incredibly beneficial in maintaining a healthy digestion system. It also aids in weight loss, deliberately slowing the ageing process and combating inflammation, making it one of the most nutritious side dishes you must try. The following are the 15 best kimchi brands you can find in Malaysia.
What Are The Main Ingredients in Kimchi?
Kimchi’s major ingredient is napa cabbage, but other vegetables such as radishes, cucumbers, and scallions are also popular. Chilli powder, garlic, ginger, salt, and occasionally fish sauce or fermented seafood are common seasonings.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Kimchi?
Kimchi is not only delicious but also known for its potential health benefits. It aids in improving your immune system, combating inflammation, promoting weight loss, and slowing down the ageing process. Kimchi is also a great source of vitamin A and C.
How Is Kimchi Typically Served?
Kimchi is a versatile dish that may be prepared in a variety of ways. It is usually served with rice and other Korean cuisines as a side dish. Kimchi can also be used in stir-fries, soups, stews, and as a topping for burgers and tacos. Some people like eating kimchi as a tasty and refreshing snack on its own.
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15 Best Kimchi Brands in Malaysia 2023
1. Penguin Taste Classic Kimchi
Penguin Taste Classic Kimchi is freshly made with natural ingredients from local farms. It has a perfectly balanced spicy and sour flavour, matching most people’s tastes. This kimchi can be eaten as a healthy snack and used to make various Korean dishes such as Kimchi Soup, Kimchi Fried Rice and many more. Its shelf life is up to 6 months, so you can take your sweet time to devour this delicious food.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Napa Cabbage, Fruits, White Radish, Carrot, Water, Chilli Powder, Chilli Flakes, Red Chilli, Fish Sauce, Glutinous Rice Flour, Onion, Ginger, Garlic, Sugar, Scallion, Leek, Salt
- Weight: 350g, 700g
Pros:
✅ Freshly made
✅ Natural ingredients
✅ No preservatives
Price: RM15.00 – RM29.50
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
2. Oppa Kimchi
Oppa Kimchi is a homemade kimchi brand that delivers tangy and appetising flavours. It is made of imported ingredients and will be shipped every single day to preserve the taste. You will receive your Oppa Kimchi in a ziplocked and heat-sealed aluminium fold bag that can stand on its own, allowing more handy storage.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Cabbage, Salt, Garlic, Ginger, Chilli Flakes/Powder, Spring Onion, Sugar, Fish Sauce, Anchovy Sauce
- Weight: 300g, 500g, 700g, 1kg
Pros:
✅ Tear-proof packaging
✅ Imported ingredients
✅ Ziplock design for a convenient use
Price: RM10.90 – RM35.99
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
3. CJ Bibigo Sliced Kimchi
CJ Bibigo Sliced Kimchi is a product of South Korea which allows you to enjoy the authentic flavour of kimchi. It is made of the best Korean ingredients to ensure a mouth-watering aftertaste. It is also carefully fermented after cutting into perfect bite-size pieces for trouble-free eating. This kimchi also has a refreshing and clean taste that is perfect for being cooked in Korean meals such as Kimchi Pancakes, Kimchi Stew and Kimchi Dumplings.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Napa Cabbage, Radish, Starch Paste, Fish Sauce, Hot Pepper Powder, Garlic, Leek, Onion, Ginger, Leuconostoc Citreum
- Weight: 150g, 500g
Pros:
✅ The real taste of kimchi
✅ Refreshing taste
✅ High-quality ingredients
Price: RM13.49 – RM26.49
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
4. Omma’s Kimchi
Omma’s Kimchi is handcrafted Kimchi made locally to cater to people’s taste buds. For a relatively low price, you can get 500g of crispy and flavourful kimchi, which can be shared with your entire family. Omma’s Kimchi contains a lot of antioxidant properties and is a good source of vitamin C to help strengthen the guts and assimilate vitamins better for a healthy diet. It is packed in thick aluminium foil with a ziplock to secure the crispness of the kimchi.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Local Chinese Cabbage, Radish, Pear, Garlic, Shallot, Fish Sauce, Ginger, Chilli, Rice Flour, Sesame, Salt
- Weight: 500g
Pros:
✅ Sufficient quantity
✅ Flavoursome
✅ Durable packaging
Price: RM20.00
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
5. HNJ MART Homemade Kimchi
HNJ MART Homemade Kimchi is manufactured using halal and Muslim-friendly ingredients, letting Muslims dig into this invigorating healthy food. It will be freshly made daily to conserve the freshness and crunchiness of the kimchi. Available in 2 sizes, 200g and 400g, letting you purchase depending on how much kimchi you usually consume per day. You can keep this kimchi for more than 3 months, but please bear in mind that the longer you keep it, the sourer the kimchi gets.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: N/A
- Weight: 200g, 400g
Pros:
✅ Lasting shelf life
✅ Halal ingredients
✅ Various quantities
Price: RM7.90 – RM13.50
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
6. Spicy Kimchi Got Kimchi
Spicy Kimchi Got Kimchi is a homegrown kimchi brand that has received tremendous positive reviews regarding its yummy taste that will make you unable to stop eating. Your kimchi will be neatly packed with an ice pack, insulation bag and thick packaging box to ensure it will arrive safely. It contains fish sauce and is free of preservatives, alcohol and vinegar. This kimchi is best kept and served cold for a more enjoyable eating experience.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Long Cabbage, Leak Leaves, Radish, Gochugaru, Garlic, Ginger, Korean Pear, Apple, Salt, Brown Sugar, Fish Sauce, Flour, Water
- Weight: 300g
Pros:
✅ Secure packaging
✅ Irresistible taste
✅ Free of preservatives
Price: RM19.80
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
7. Nonnalin Kimchi
Nonnalin Kimchi is formulated with 90% premium organic ingredients and contains no sugar, making it perfect for those on a sugar-free diet. This kimchi also can be enjoyed by gluten-intolerant individuals as it is specially made with no flour. It is vegetarian kimchi with no trace of fish sauce. Not only is it succulent and delicious, but it also has probiotic properties that aid in maintaining your body healthy.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Organic Long Cabbage, Garlic, Ginger, Sea Salt And Chilli Powder
- Weight: 330g
Pros:
✅ Gluten-free
✅ 90% organic ingredients
✅ Vegan
Price: RM21.50
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
8. Nojokefood Kimchi
Nojokefood Kimchi is best consumed as a healthy snack or side dish to complement your meals with its tangy, savoury taste. Kimchi is a versatile food that lets you create new dishes you have never tried! All the possibilities you can do with kimchi are endless as you can cook Kimchi Jigae and Tofu Kimchi and can be added to your favourite instant noodles. Nojokefood Kimchi is fermented naturally, so as you leave it longer, the kimchi will ferment as it ages, leaving it with a sourer taste and softer texture.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Cabbage, Garlic, Salt, Sugar, Water, Ginger, Onion, Fish Sauce, Chilli Powder, Carrot, Radish, Green Onion
- Weight: 300g, 500g, 800g
Pros:
✅ Versatile
✅ Ready to be consumed
✅ 3 months shelf life
Price: RM14.90 – RM29.90
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
9. Young Poong Sliced Kimchi
Young Poong Sliced Kimchi has an inviting crunchy texture to allow pleasurable snacking. It is a product that can be eaten on its own without any other additional cooking. This kimchi is sliced for convenient eating and comes in a compact tin that can easily carry around. Relish the spicy and sour flavour melding together harmoniously in your mouth.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Napa Cabbage, Water, Red Chilli Pepper, Garlic Salt, High Fructose, Ginger, Sugar, Monosodium Glutamate
- Weight: 160g
Pros:
✅ Harmonious flavours
✅ Crunchy
✅ Portable
Price: RM6.63
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
10. Super Kimchi
Super Kimchi is a brand of kimchi made by Koreans in Malaysia. It is unique because it contains special probiotics called “WiKim32” patented by the World Institute of Kimchi. The kimchi is fermented using traditional Korean jars called “Onggi,” which results in richer probiotics and flavors. It offers different styles, including sliced cabbage, radish kimchi, and deeply fermented cabbage kimchi. The Vintage version is fermented for a longer time, giving it a sourer taste and making it ideal for cooking dishes like kimchi soup and kimchi fried rice.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Cabbage, Radish, Chili powder, Onion
- Weight: 80g, 500g, 1kg
Pros:
✅ 80g small packing is easy to keep
✅ Can be stored for 6 months
✅ Contains special probiotics
Price: RM11.00 – RM37.00
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
11. Jongga Mat Kimchi
Jongga Mat Kimchi is another kimchi product from South Korea. A unique flavoured seasoning is used to supply revitalising flavour with a fantastic crunch texture. This cut cabbage kimchi is convenient to eat as you do not have to worry about chopping the whole cabbage to get a taste of this palatable kimchi. It weighs 380g and comes in a small plastic bottle packaging with a cover for handy storage.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Cabbage, Radish, Red Pepper Powder, Rice Starch (Guar Gum), Fructose, Salt, Garlic, Leek, Koran Leek, Onion, Fermented Anchovy Sauce (Anchovy, Salt), Monosodium Glutamate, Ginger, Fermented Shrimp Sauce (Shrimp, Salt), LactoBacillus
- Weight: 380g
Pros:
✅ Easy to store
✅ Ready to eat
✅ Bite-sized
Price: RM18.00- RM26.00
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
12. Yangban Kimchi
Yangban Kimchi is an ideal travel companion as it is packed in a small, durable tin to offer easy storage as well as guarantee the kimchi will not split inside your bag. It is best-seller kimchi in Korea due to its succulent taste that meets Korean standards. If you wonder what this kimchi tastes like, it has a familiar Kimchi flavour in Kimchi Jigae. It is slightly sour, less spicy, with an incredible crunch. All of the ingredients are 100% Korea-grown, giving you the taste of pure Korean kimchi in Malaysia.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Salted Napa Cabbage 69.4% (Napa Cabbage, Salt), Radish, Modified Tapioca Starch Mix [Tapioca Starch, Thickener, Modified Starch, Fermented Fish Sauce [Anchovy Extract, Shrimp Extract, Kelp Extract, Flavour Enhancer, Sweetener, Red Pepper Powder 2.7%, Garlic, Leek, Green Onion, Onion, Ginger, Starter Culture (Hydrolized Soy Protein)
- Weight: 160g
Pros:
✅ 100% Korea-grown ingredients
✅ Slightly tangy flavour
✅ Durable tin packaging
Price: RM21.00
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
13. iikim Cabbage Kimchi
iikim Cabbage Kimchi is best known among customers that prefer a less sour, less spicy and sweeter taste of kimchi. iikim gets the cabbage from its own cabbage fields to qualify for high-quality, fresh cabbages in Korea despite the seasons. This kimchi is produced with vegetables low in calories and contains multiple fibres, assisting in weight control. You can add this kimchi to various meat or fish dishes to make it much more flavoursome.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Cabbage, Radish, Onion, Red Pepper, Carrot, Green Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Sesame, Sorbitol, Pickled Shrimp, Salt, Sugar, Monosodium Glutamate, Vitamin B1, Lactic Acid
- Weight: 200g, 330g
Pros:
✅ Appropriate for newbies
✅ Low calories vegetables
✅ Adds flavour to any dishes
Price: RM15.00
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
14. Samyang Buldak Hot Spicy Chicken Stir-Fried Kimchi
Samyang is one of the most famous Korean brands you can find in Malaysia. If you are a kimchi fanatic, you must try its Buldak Hot Spicy Chicken Stir-Fried Kimchi! The iconic spicy Samyang buldak sauce is included in this yummy stir-fried kimchi, allowing you to indulge your senses in its remarkable flavour. It is also packed in an easy-to-carry tin to permit a trouble-free store. It is perfect to be enjoyed as a side dish with rice or instant noodle, depending on your liking.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Pickled Cabbage, Pure White Sugar, Grilled Chicken Concentrate, Purified Water, Onion, Brown Oil, Liquid Sugar, Red Pepper Powder, Butter White Sugar, Green Onion, Garlic, Salt, Ginger, L – Glutamic Acid, Flavour Enhancer, Chicken, Kimchi
- Weight: 160g
Pros:
✅ Iconic taste
✅ Highly mobile
✅ Great as a side dish
Price: RM15.00
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
15. Wellheim Spicy Pickled Kimchi
Without a doubt, kimchi is a staple in Korean cuisine and has a distinctive taste that is ideal for multiple dishes. Wellheim Spicy Pickled Kimchi is produced with natural ingredients with an unforgettable taste. It is packed with probiotics which help balance digestion and maintain it. This kimchi has a traditional, pure taste of tanginess and with a kick of spiciness from the bold spices to intensify the taste of this well-loved side dish.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Chinese Cabbage, Scallion, Red Pepper, Sugar, Salt, Garlic, Ginger
- Weight: 160g
Pros:
✅ Traditional flavour
✅ Packed with probiotics
✅ Authentically Korean
Price: RM7.90
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
Disclosure: This list was compiled by the team at My Weekend Plan after extensive research and shared opinions to suggest helpful recommendations for the public. The sequence of brands is in no particular order so if you have any other great suggestions too, please email us support@myweekendplan.com.my. For more information, kindly refer to our copyright, privacy & disclosure policy.
