Korean food exporters are accelerating their footprint across Europe and Central Asia through a targeted strategy combining retail grocery placement and immersive cultural pop-ups, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT).
French Supermarkets Target Frozen Convenience Food Demand
In France, a special promotional event for Korean frozen foods ran from July 28 to August 8 at a Carrefour hypermarket in Massy, south of Paris, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation. Organized with support from participating selection companies GMF and Lou et Lang, the pop-up featured a convenience store aesthetic near the main entrance to attract local shoppers.
The product lineup focused on street foods popular on social media, including mandu dumplings, dakgangjeong sweet crispy chicken, hot dogs, vegan ice cream, and hotteok pancakes. According to Thomas, the frozen food purchasing manager at Carrefour, the retail push aligns with growing local interest driven by the broader spread of Korean culture. Electric food export director Jeon Ki-chan at aT stated that Europe represents a high-potential market due to rising demand for health-focused foods and home meal replacements.
Central Asian Festival Promotes Rice-Based Products
In Central Asia, the focus shifted toward rice-based processed goods during the “K-FEST” cultural event held on August 1 and 2 in Astana, Kazakhstan, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation. The festival drew approximately 3,000 visitors as part of a series of events leading up to the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit, co-hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan, the Overseas Koreans Agency, and the Astana Koryo-saram Association.
Exhibited items centered on three primary categories: tteokbokki, frozen kimchi fried rice, and rice beverages. Kazakhstan remains a major export market for South Korean food products in Central Asia, prompting trade officials to introduce versatile rice-derivative items designed to expand consumption beyond traditional meal times.
Strategic Export Divergence Between Regions
The dual-track export approach tailors marketing tactics to regional consumer habits, separating European retail integration from Central Asian experiential events. While the French initiative prioritizes standard supermarket shopping channels to integrate Korean items into daily cooking routines, the Kazakhstani campaign utilizes large-scale cultural gatherings to introduce novel menu items directly to consumers.
Agricultural authorities are actively fostering frozen convenience items, vegan and fermented foods, and traditional spirits as core categories for international expansion.
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