Korean Crab Sourcing Notes › Articles
Sourcing Korean Soy-Marinated Crab (Ganjang Gejang): A Buyer's Checklist
If you buy ganjang gejang for a US store or restaurant, check five things before the first order: where the crab comes from, how it is graded, how it is frozen, the shelf life, and the factory's registrations.
What ganjang gejang is
Ganjang gejang is raw female swimming crab marinated in a seasoned soy sauce brine and then frozen. Korean customers buy it for the roe and the soft, savory meat, and many eat it with rice.
A note on names: in the US, "blue crab" usually means Callinectes sapidus. Korean gejang is made from Portunus trituberculatus, so we write "swimming crab" with the scientific name on specification sheets.
1. Where the crab comes from
Quality starts with the raw crab. We buy more than 3,000 tonnes of Korean west-coast swimming crab a year, directly from boat owners, fishing cooperatives and auctions, and process it at our own site.
2. How it is graded
Ask for written grading rules. Ours use weight and roe yield.
| Size (per crab) | Weight |
|---|---|
| Large | 270–320 g |
| Medium | 210–260 g |
| Small | 180–200 g |
| Grade | Roe yield |
|---|---|
| S | 100% roe-filled |
| A | 70% or more |
| B | Roe not guaranteed; full meat yield, good value |
Each lot goes through a first sort by size and roe yield, then a second sort with sensory checks.
3. How it is frozen
After marinating, the crab rests for one day in cold storage and is then quick-frozen at −30 °C. Freezing at the right moment keeps the roe and organs from breaking down.
4. Shelf life
All marinated products are distributed frozen, with a shelf life of one year from the production date.
5. Registrations
Our plant is a HACCP-certified facility and is registered with the US FDA as a food facility (registered in 2022). We have exported gejang, frozen crab and marinated shrimp to the US since 2021. Confirm current import requirements with your customs broker.
Formats you can order
- Whole crab: 2 crabs per 1 kg tub (400 g crab, 600 g sauce) or 1 crab per 500 g
- Half-cut: 1 kg tray with 4 pieces (400 g crab, 600 g sauce)
- Cleaned: 1.25 kg (6–8 pieces, 400 g crab, 850 g sauce)
- Also spicy marinated crab, marinated shrimp, salmon and blood cockles
Private label is available, including custom salt and sweetness for the soy brine.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you publish prices?
- No. Prices depend on grade, volume and shipping terms, so we quote per inquiry.
- Can you produce under our brand?
- Yes. We produce private label (OEM) and co-develop recipes (ODM).
- Are products shipped frozen?
- Yes. All marinated products are frozen and have a one-year frozen shelf life.
Buying for a store, restaurant or private label?
Tell us the product, grade, volume and destination. We reply with specifications and a quotation.
Request a quote+82 10-2402-4950
