Plan for Des Plaines kimchi manufacturing plant put on hold

Despite assurances from company representatives, a plan to relocate a Chicago kimchi manufacturing facility to Des Plaines has been put on hold because of concerns about possible odors and other issues.

A traditional Korean dish, kimchi consists of pickled and fermented cabbage or other vegetables, herbs and spices. It can be eaten as a condiment or a side dish, or used as an ingredient.

A kimchi processing business called 5000 Years Foods wants to move from Chicago's Northwest side to a vacant commercial building at 984 Lee St. in Des Plaines.

The building last was occupied by Illinois Carpet and Drapery, which closed in 2022.

The proposed move would allow the company to expand operations, company attorney Richard Kim told the city council Monday.

At roughly 15,000 square feet, the building is more than three times the reported size of the current plant.

The company has asked the city for a conditional use permit that would allow the business to operate on Lee Street.

But during a city council discussion Monday night, several aldermen voiced concerns about the operation, particularly whether the ingredients or the manufacturing process might create unpleasant odors for nearby residents.

Kim said odors would be minimal.

Kimchi is made cold in sealed containers using raw vegetables, he explained. That's different from the preparation process for sauerkraut and other cabbage-based dishes that require boiling or other cooking methods.

"It is just fresh vegetables," he said. "When it goes into the jar, then it becomes kimchi."

Additionally, garbage bins are cleaned with bleach twice daily to eliminate any bacteria and odor, Kim said.

But that information wasn't enough to ease the aldermen's fears. Some referred to the problems Mount Prospect residents and officials are having with odors from a livestock feed manufacturer in that neighboring suburb.

Truck traffic was a concern for aldermen, too, even though Kim said only four trucks visit the current factory on a typical day.

Mayor Andrew Goczkowski strongly supported the proposal, however. After hearing the aldermen's concerns, Goczkowski said he'd hope they'd be as equally concerned about a factory making pickles or sauerkraut.

"It seems like a no-brainer to me," he said of the business proposal.

Eventually, the council voted to defer consideration of the permit until July 17 so city staffers can visit the Chicago plant and check with Chicago officials about any odor complaints there.