Invest KOREA

The 2024 Seoul International Food Industry Exhibition (Seoul Food 2024), the largest trade show for the food and beverage industry in Korea, marked its biggest year yet, attracting over 40,000 key decision-makers, buyers, and industry experts to the spacious exhibitions halls at KINTEX. Celebrating its 42nd edition this year, the event provided a golden opportunity for Korean F&B companies to meet global buyers, and international suppliers to expand their businesses into the Korean market.

Following its start, Seoul Food has been trusted by Korean and overseas food companies for its wide reach and facilitation of global business partnerships. Every year, Seoul Food draws in thousands of visitors who are keen on exploring the latest food industry trends and developments. The international fair positions Korea as a major player in the global food and hospitality industry, showcasing the country’s commitment to help foster win-win business relationships in the F&B sector as well as its innovative expertise to respond to ever-changing trends. The annual event is considered to be one of Asia's four top exhibitions of its kind after those in Shanghai, Bangkok and Tokyo.

This year’s show opened at its largest scale to date, attracting a whopping 1,605 food companies from 52 countries with the aim to showcase their products and find business partners for mutual growth. Also, a combined 250 buyers from 47 global markets including the U.S., Thailand, and China, participated in the event to get a first-hand experience of Korean food, which has been taking the world by storm. In fact, vKorea’s instant noodles have been gaining enormous popularity around the world, as the country’s instant noodle exports earned USD 108.6 million in April earlier this year, surpassing a previous record of USD 92.9 million in February, according to the Korea Customs Service. Korea is aiming to hit the USD 1 billion mark for its ramen exports in 2024.

This year, the exhibition was divided into two specialized sections: F&B and food tech, to allow for the enhanced discovery of appropriate business partners in a timely and efficient manner. And since product development and technology always go hand-in-hand, the exhibition featured food producers and food tech companies converging their products and know-how, offering a more non-conventional experience for consumers. Another notable trend this year was the diversification of home replacement meals, meat substitutes, and traditional snacks, as there were numerous companies showcasing their latest developments in these sectors.

Export consultations—a vital part of the event—were held between Korean and global food companies, accumulating an estimated USD 200 million worth in business partnerships. Local importers, distributors and global buyers from a vast range of business segments in the F&B industry had the opportunity to hold exclusive one-on-one business meetings during the event to support the penetration of foreign businesses and products into the Korean market. KOTRA’s strong global network consisting of 129 overseas offices around the world facilitated the active communication between businesses and global buyers, generating new opportunities for continued collaboration that goes beyond the event.