Sandol Food Celebrates 20th Anniversary
A CEO Who Dreamed of Treating Employees Well,
Overcoming Tough Times to Establish a Solid Local Enterprise in Hongcheon,
Continuing Community Contribution Projects with the Spirit of ‘Sharing’
▲ Lee Ho-seong, CEO of Sandol Foods
Amidst the population decline crisis, Hongcheon County in Gangwon Province is making a conscious effort to attract large-scale companies to create jobs, attract population, and revitalize the local economy.
This is a problem not only faced by Hongcheon but also by most local cities in Korea outside of the Seoul metropolitan area and major cities. Against this backdrop, Sandol Foods, which established itself in Hongcheon 20 years ago and has continued to grow, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year with a commemorative ceremony on the 9th.
Through business expansion and sales growth, Sandol Foods has grown from a company with 10 employees and annual sales of 100 million won when it was founded in 2004 to a leading company in Hongcheon Province, aiming for around 150 employees and 45 billion won in annual sales this year.
Notably, there are around 10 companies in the Hongcheon area that have been in business for over 20 years, and among them, Sandol Foods is the only large-scale SME with around 150 employees. We met with Lee Ho-seong (55), CEO of Sandol Foods.
▲ Sandol Foods, Hongcheon County's first renowned company for sharing, celebrated its 20th anniversary on the 9th.
▲ Messages of appreciation from employees of Sandol Foods, Hongcheon County's first renowned company for sharing, to CEO Lee Ho-seong as they celebrated their 20th anniversary.
Lee Ho-sung, originally from Incheon, has cherished a dream since middle school of becoming a CEO who treats his employees well.
After graduating from Korea University's Department of Agricultural Chemistry, CEO Lee rejected his father's advice to pursue graduate school in genetic engineering, a promising field at the time, and joined CJ, hoping to make money. After joining the company, he married, had children, and achieved remarkable success at work. However, he faced a major turning point in his life. When his wife remained unconscious three weeks after collapsing, the doctor informed him to prepare for the worst.
CEO Lee said, "My child is two years old, and when my wife collapsed and couldn't get up, I felt like my world was falling apart. I cried every day. Then, around the fifth week, I was calling my wife's name while she lay there, and she snapped her fingers, just like in a movie. She woke up in a truly dramatic way."
My wife, who had been unconscious for over five weeks, took nearly two years to recover. At that time, CEO Lee quit his job and continued to care for her.
As his wife's condition gradually improved, he began searching for work to support their livelihood and was introduced by an acquaintance to a factory in Sangoan-ri, Hongcheon.
With difficulty, he acquired the factory in 2004 and founded Sandol Foods. At the time, he established his own cooperative industrial complex, naming it "Cheongwoorim," with the intention of bringing together several small food industry companies to form a single tree. He expanded his business, launching the 33 Tteokbokki franchise in 2016. In 2022, he founded Flavor Plan and Dora Bowl, which handle meal kits.
CEO Lee said, "Nowadays, local governments offer many incentives to attract companies, but when Sandol Foods was founded, such benefits weren't available. Over the past 20 years, there have been times when I've felt a bit disappointed. However, thanks to the support of the local community, I plan to continue expanding my business in Hongcheon."
▲ Sandol Foods, Hongcheon County's first renowned sharing company, celebrated its 20th anniversary on the 9th.
Lee, who started his business in Hongcheon at the age of 36, was initially treated as a young swindler by the locals. He later discovered that the Sandol Foods site was in a state of decline, with the previous registrations filling a book. When a young outsider in his 30s decided to open a business, the locals refused to sell him factory supplies from the city, fearing they would be swindled. Even when he offered to pay upfront, the locals refused to accept his offer, citing the poor fortunes of the Sandol Foods site. With no employees and no supplies available, he was in a precarious situation.
To overcome this predicament, Lee put his business aside and began working to integrate into the village. He attended various village gatherings and events, helping with chores, and meeting with seniors and local residents. As his efforts accumulated over the years, the locals began to open up. It has now established itself as a true local enterprise in Hongcheon.
▲ Lee Ho-seong, CEO of Sandol Foods, introduces the company's products.
The business journey wasn't always smooth. In 2016, just two years and seven months after acquiring the company, the business failed, leaving him with 3.1 billion won in debt. CEO Lee recalled that he felt so desperate that he even wrote a suicide note.
There were countless moments over the past 20 years when he had to grit his teeth and persevere for the sake of his family and employees. Even as the business expanded, it suddenly collapsed for unspeakable reasons. Each time, CEO Lee persevered, persevering, and continued to do what he could.
▲ Sandol Foods, Hongcheon County's first renowned sharing company, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year.
Fortunately, CEO Lee possessed the ability and diligence to recognize business viability as a businessman. Even if he didn't need it immediately, he proactively purchased equipment that would be essential in the next year or two. He also established a production line for quick-freezing rice cakes faster than any other small business. When opening a franchise, he personally handled every detail, from dishwashing to store operations.
Notably, as if foreseeing the COVID-19 era, CEO Lee was quick to recognize the potential of frozen ready-to-cook meals for overseas markets. Once he established a production line and began producing frozen ready-to-eat meals, demand surged during the pandemic, leading to explosive sales growth. While it was certainly a challenging time both domestically and internationally, the success of his business helped support his employees' livelihoods. From 2019 to 2021, he received various corporate awards and commendations, further fueling his company's growth.
CEO Lee stated, "Of the approximately 13,000 franchises nationwide, only about 1% have over 200 stores. However, Sandol Foods currently has over 250 33 Tteokbokki stores.
This was possible thanks to the blood, sweat, and tears of our employees, as well as the support of the local community and partners."
▲ Status of Sandol Foods' 33 Tteokbokki stores nationwide, Hongcheon County's first renowned company for sharing
I asked CEO Lee about the theme of this 20th anniversary celebration.
He replied, "'Sharing' is embedded in the motto of all Sandol Foods companies. We will do our best to grow into a company that promises to last a hundred years and prepares for a millennium by sharing all of our achievements with our employees and the local community."
Indeed, Sandol Foods has consistently engaged in community service activities, to the point where it was designated as Hongcheon County's first renowned company for sharing. The company has been hiring people with disabilities since the concept of "employment rights for people with disabilities" was relatively new, and currently employs ten employees since the company's founding.
An employee who has been with the company for 20 years this year expressed his gratitude to CEO Lee, saying, "Thanks to the company's growth, I was able to continue working there, and thanks to that, I recently bought an apartment." CEO Lee stated that fair performance evaluations and corresponding compensation are the most important benefits for employees, and he plans to continue striving to realize his middle school dream of becoming a "good boss" who cares for his employees.
Source: Gangwon Domin Newspaper, Reporter Yoo Seung-hyun
▲ Lee Ho-seong, CEO of Sandol Foods
Amidst the population decline crisis, Hongcheon County in Gangwon Province is making a conscious effort to attract large-scale companies to create jobs, attract population, and revitalize the local economy.
This is a problem not only faced by Hongcheon but also by most local cities in Korea outside of the Seoul metropolitan area and major cities. Against this backdrop, Sandol Foods, which established itself in Hongcheon 20 years ago and has continued to grow, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year with a commemorative ceremony on the 9th.
Through business expansion and sales growth, Sandol Foods has grown from a company with 10 employees and annual sales of 100 million won when it was founded in 2004 to a leading company in Hongcheon Province, aiming for around 150 employees and 45 billion won in annual sales this year.
Notably, there are around 10 companies in the Hongcheon area that have been in business for over 20 years, and among them, Sandol Foods is the only large-scale SME with around 150 employees. We met with Lee Ho-seong (55), CEO of Sandol Foods.
▲ Sandol Foods, Hongcheon County's first renowned company for sharing, celebrated its 20th anniversary on the 9th.
▲ Messages of appreciation from employees of Sandol Foods, Hongcheon County's first renowned company for sharing, to CEO Lee Ho-seong as they celebrated their 20th anniversary.
Lee Ho-sung, originally from Incheon, has cherished a dream since middle school of becoming a CEO who treats his employees well.
After graduating from Korea University's Department of Agricultural Chemistry, CEO Lee rejected his father's advice to pursue graduate school in genetic engineering, a promising field at the time, and joined CJ, hoping to make money. After joining the company, he married, had children, and achieved remarkable success at work. However, he faced a major turning point in his life. When his wife remained unconscious three weeks after collapsing, the doctor informed him to prepare for the worst.
CEO Lee said, "My child is two years old, and when my wife collapsed and couldn't get up, I felt like my world was falling apart. I cried every day. Then, around the fifth week, I was calling my wife's name while she lay there, and she snapped her fingers, just like in a movie. She woke up in a truly dramatic way."
My wife, who had been unconscious for over five weeks, took nearly two years to recover. At that time, CEO Lee quit his job and continued to care for her.
As his wife's condition gradually improved, he began searching for work to support their livelihood and was introduced by an acquaintance to a factory in Sangoan-ri, Hongcheon.
With difficulty, he acquired the factory in 2004 and founded Sandol Foods. At the time, he established his own cooperative industrial complex, naming it "Cheongwoorim," with the intention of bringing together several small food industry companies to form a single tree. He expanded his business, launching the 33 Tteokbokki franchise in 2016. In 2022, he founded Flavor Plan and Dora Bowl, which handle meal kits.
CEO Lee said, "Nowadays, local governments offer many incentives to attract companies, but when Sandol Foods was founded, such benefits weren't available. Over the past 20 years, there have been times when I've felt a bit disappointed. However, thanks to the support of the local community, I plan to continue expanding my business in Hongcheon."
▲ Sandol Foods, Hongcheon County's first renowned sharing company, celebrated its 20th anniversary on the 9th.
Lee, who started his business in Hongcheon at the age of 36, was initially treated as a young swindler by the locals. He later discovered that the Sandol Foods site was in a state of decline, with the previous registrations filling a book. When a young outsider in his 30s decided to open a business, the locals refused to sell him factory supplies from the city, fearing they would be swindled. Even when he offered to pay upfront, the locals refused to accept his offer, citing the poor fortunes of the Sandol Foods site. With no employees and no supplies available, he was in a precarious situation.
To overcome this predicament, Lee put his business aside and began working to integrate into the village. He attended various village gatherings and events, helping with chores, and meeting with seniors and local residents. As his efforts accumulated over the years, the locals began to open up. It has now established itself as a true local enterprise in Hongcheon.
▲ Lee Ho-seong, CEO of Sandol Foods, introduces the company's products.
The business journey wasn't always smooth. In 2016, just two years and seven months after acquiring the company, the business failed, leaving him with 3.1 billion won in debt. CEO Lee recalled that he felt so desperate that he even wrote a suicide note.
There were countless moments over the past 20 years when he had to grit his teeth and persevere for the sake of his family and employees. Even as the business expanded, it suddenly collapsed for unspeakable reasons. Each time, CEO Lee persevered, persevering, and continued to do what he could.
▲ Sandol Foods, Hongcheon County's first renowned sharing company, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year.
Fortunately, CEO Lee possessed the ability and diligence to recognize business viability as a businessman. Even if he didn't need it immediately, he proactively purchased equipment that would be essential in the next year or two. He also established a production line for quick-freezing rice cakes faster than any other small business. When opening a franchise, he personally handled every detail, from dishwashing to store operations.
Notably, as if foreseeing the COVID-19 era, CEO Lee was quick to recognize the potential of frozen ready-to-cook meals for overseas markets. Once he established a production line and began producing frozen ready-to-eat meals, demand surged during the pandemic, leading to explosive sales growth. While it was certainly a challenging time both domestically and internationally, the success of his business helped support his employees' livelihoods. From 2019 to 2021, he received various corporate awards and commendations, further fueling his company's growth.
CEO Lee stated, "Of the approximately 13,000 franchises nationwide, only about 1% have over 200 stores. However, Sandol Foods currently has over 250 33 Tteokbokki stores.
This was possible thanks to the blood, sweat, and tears of our employees, as well as the support of the local community and partners."
▲ Status of Sandol Foods' 33 Tteokbokki stores nationwide, Hongcheon County's first renowned company for sharing
I asked CEO Lee about the theme of this 20th anniversary celebration.
He replied, "'Sharing' is embedded in the motto of all Sandol Foods companies. We will do our best to grow into a company that promises to last a hundred years and prepares for a millennium by sharing all of our achievements with our employees and the local community."
Indeed, Sandol Foods has consistently engaged in community service activities, to the point where it was designated as Hongcheon County's first renowned company for sharing. The company has been hiring people with disabilities since the concept of "employment rights for people with disabilities" was relatively new, and currently employs ten employees since the company's founding.
An employee who has been with the company for 20 years this year expressed his gratitude to CEO Lee, saying, "Thanks to the company's growth, I was able to continue working there, and thanks to that, I recently bought an apartment." CEO Lee stated that fair performance evaluations and corresponding compensation are the most important benefits for employees, and he plans to continue striving to realize his middle school dream of becoming a "good boss" who cares for his employees.
Source: Gangwon Domin Newspaper, Reporter Yoo Seung-hyun