According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT)’s export information service KATI, demand from local Korean residents and buyers is growing. That interest, combined with a rise in upscale Korean barbecue restaurants and the recent availability of a UAE halal-certified slaughterhouse, has pushed new export efforts forward.
In 2024, the UAE’s beef import market totaled about 1.6571 trillion KRW (approximately $1.1 billion). Of that, frozen beef made up 65% while chilled beef accounted for 35%.
Hanwoo is mainly sold through premium restaurants and Korean food stores. It carries a luxury image, but it hasn’t yet achieved the broad mainstream recognition that wagyu enjoys.
At high-end venues, hanwoo is priced between Australian wagyu and Japanese wagyu — approximately $75 per 100 g (3.53 oz). Consumption of premium meats has been rising in the UAE’s fine-dining restaurants and luxury hotels.
The premium meat scene is dominated by Japanese wagyu, Australian wagyu, and U.S. Black Angus. The global spread of Korean culture has also helped raise interest in hanwoo.
An aT official said, “Unlike wagyu, which melts in the mouth, many describe hanwoo as rich in fat but not greasy, with a clean finish. We expect it to attract a distinct group of consumers, different from wagyu lovers.”
