President Kim Young-jae of Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster (KIFIC) and President Min Jae-seok of Korea Postal Service Agency (POSA) pose after they signed an MOU on support on market entry by Foodpolis’ tenant companies on Aug. 12. KIFIC and POSA agreed to boost sales of exhibitors participating in the 2021 Korea National Food Cluster Food Festival in Iksan to be held online from Sept. 8 to 9.

Korea Institute for Food Industry Cluster (KIFIC) will hold the 2021 Korea National Food Cluster Food Festival in Iksan online from Sept. 8 to 9.

The fair is designed to publicize products of startups and mid-side enterprises in the national food cluster, or Foodpolis, to Korean and foreign buyers.

KIFIC President Kim Young-jae said in an interview, “Most programs of the 2020 food festival, which took place online, was a success.” Based on the experience, he said KIFIC will make the 2021 food festival “an expanded one.”

About 100 food companies, including tenant companies of Foodpolis, are expected to participate in the Food Festival in Iksan.

A poster to publicize the 2021 Korea National Food Cluster Food Festival in Iksan. (Photos: KIFIC)

Products of Foodpolis’ tenant companies and the national food cluster will be made known through a variety of non-contact media channels such as via TV, online influencers and YouTubers.

Exhibitors of 2021 Korea National Food Cluster Food Festival in Iksan also will hold special sales fairs starting in September to give discounts, he said.

The Food Festival in Iksan will coincide with a conference designed to look into the future of the food industry. The conference will be held under the theme “Brace for Post-COVID-19 Era and ESG Food Industry.”

Speakers will include successful startup businessmen, who will participate in the conference, which will be streamed live from 2 p.m. on Sept. 9.

The conference will serve as an opportunity not only to recognize the significance of K-food, but also to analyze and predict changing trends in the post-COVID-19 era, KIFIC President Kim said.

Despite the Covd-19 pandemic, which has buffed the global economy, the Korean food industry has made a splash on the global stage. Korea saw agro-fishery food exports approach $10 billion, the best-ever one, last year.

The feat is owed to a rising demand for home replacements and the K-food, coupled with Hallyu fever, and KIFIC, supporting the Korean food industry, has also played a part.

KIFIC, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, is contributing to the development of the food industry by not only supporting raw material procurement for food, but also item production, the exploration of markets and marketing activities, as well as setting up Foodpolis, the national food cluster, with the 2.32 million sq. meters.

KIFIC President Kim, four months in office, said food companies with less than five employees account for 78.9 percent of the national’s total food makers.

Those with less than 10 employees take a 90.9 percent stake in the Korean food industry market.

 
KIFIC is responsible for KIFIC, or Foodpolis. Foodpolis is a national food cluster, established with the goal of creating synergetic effects among food companies, academia and research circles. Foodpolis attracted 108 food companies as of the end of July.

Among the representative tenant companies of Foodpolis are Pulmuone’s kimchi export plant, SCDD, Jeollabuk-do’s No. 1 laver exporter, Bonif’s baby porridge brand “Sunsubon.” Frombio, a major functional health food producer, and Fresheasy, a meal kit leader, and Freshgo have moved into the national food cluster.