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About BariBari Pantry

Baribari Pantry was born from a simple but powerful idea.

In South Africa, where fewer than 5,000 Koreans reside, many of us make and sell food, kimchi, tofu, dumplings, on a small scale, usually within our own community. But these rich, authentic flavours deserve to be shared more widely.

We began with homemade kimchi, lovingly crafted by Korean home cooks using traditional methods and time-honoured ingredients. It's the real thing, made just like back home.

But this is just the beginning.

Baribari Pantry was born from a simple but powerful idea.

We began with homemade kimchi, lovingly crafted by Korean home cooks using traditional methods and time-honoured ingredients. It's the real thing, made just like back home.

But this is just the beginning.

Connecting South Africans with quality homemade Asian cuisine.

We’re starting with Korean staples like tofu, dumplings, and ready-made meal kits, and aiming to eventually expand to include offerings from other Asian communities in South Africa, such as Chinese, Japanese, and Thai expats.

Baribari Pantry exists to bring their culinary talents into the spotlight, and onto more tables.

Our Vision

Connecting South Africans with high-quality, homemade Asian food from diverse communities.

Meet the Founder

Chan Hee Kim

Originally from Incheon, South Korea, Chan Hee Kim first came to South Africa four years ago to work at the embassy, and ended up finding the love of her life. Since then, she’s made South Africa her home.

A passionate food lover (especially the eating part more than cooking!), Chan Hee has always had a deep craving for Korean food — the kind she grew up with, full of bold, comforting flavors. Even while living in South Africa, she eats Korean food almost every day.

As a social media creator and wedding photographer, Chan Hee has always loved storytelling, through images, food, and people. She started Baribari Pantry because she realized: this food is too good to keep to myself.

Now, she’s sharing it with everyone, one bite at a time.

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"It’s so hard to find good authentic kimchi in South Africa but bari bari absolutely nailed it! It tastes even better than some of the kimchi I had in Korea!"