Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. (aT) set up Korea Pavilion to showcase mainstay products of “K-food” at Natural Products Expo West 2023 (NPEW 2023), which took place at Anaheim, CA, from March 9 to 11.
aT said on March 15 NPEW 2023 in Anaheim is a large-sized food fair that attracted about 130 countries. The fair has been evaluated to serve as an opportunity to look at natural food trends at a glance in the United States and other parts of the world.
aT established Korea Pavilion in cooperation with 29 Korean exporters to have the health of K-food, which emerged as a trend in the U.S., known and displayed. Items ranged from food tech and vegan foods to sauces, teas, ginseng and home meal replacements (HMRs).
In particular, health supplements, such as aloe, lactobacillus, and red ginseng, and the differentiated tastes and scents of “K-fresh” items, such as pears, strawberries and Shine Muscat became the subject of attention from buyers.
Interest in “K-street food” is rising on the back of the popularity of “K-content.” For example, HMR products and the Korean distilled alcoholic beverage soju became hit products from buyers.
Kwon Oh-yeop, a director in charge of export food at aT, said, “The U.S. concern and popularity over K-food has been already established as a trend along with K-content.”
aT does not spare any support, ranging from participation in fairs to follow-up consultations and local marketing, so that K-food can be settled in the U.S. mainstay market by solidifying its health image, Kwon said.
aT President Kim Choon-jin makes a pitch for K-food products on display at FOODEX Japan 2023, which took place in Tokyo from March 7 to 10. (Photos: aT)
‘K-food Flashes at FOODEX Japan 2023
Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. (aT) participated in FOODEX Japan 2023, which took place in Tokyo from March 7 to 10. It achieved the feat of negotiating exports worth a combined $90 million and inking MOUs worth $7 million.
FOODEX Japan is Asia’s largest international food fair. Thirty-nine countries set up national pavilions and 2,562 exhibitors from 39 countries participated in FOODEX Japan 2023.
The latest fair attracted about 73,000 foreign buyers since they were allowed to participate for the first time in three years following the lifting of restrictions against entry.
aT set up “Korea Pavilion,” equivalent to the size of 110 regular booths, with five related organizations and 70 companies, including Korean outstanding exporters, Yongin City government and Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial government and displayed a variety of promising export items, ranging from fresh agro items, such as kimchi, tomatoes and paprika to alternative meat and HMR and other food tech products.
As Korea’s “pocha” (covered street food wagon) has enjoyed popularity in Japan as part of K-culture on the rage, spectators flooded “K-street food theme” booth.
A session of tasting street foods, such as tteokbokki, hot dog and frozen mandu became the subject of attraction from buyers.
The functionality mark food booth handed out Korean grown paprika, registered last year on the Japanese list of functionality market food items, to publicize prominence of Korean-grown agro items.
Spectators at the Miracle Publication Booth of Promising Items were given an opportunity to taste jeyuk bbokeum (stir-fried spicy pork) and yukpo (beef jerky), made with alternative vegetable meats, as well as food tech items.
_김춘진 사장 NPEW2023 방문.jpg)
_김춘진사장 FOODEX JAPAN 행사장.jpg)
