(The CEN News / Reporter Kim Na-hyun) The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has finalized a slate of 145 companies to join the Global NEXT K-Food Project and plans to accelerate K-food exports by offering tailored support focused on strategic items in each region.
The program ramps up public–private collaboration, creating win–win partnerships between large firms and small- and mid-sized companies. It zeroes in on promising categories—think functional foods and convenient ready-to-eat meals—to target markets around the world.
Officials say they’ll pursue marketing strategies and new-product development tailored to each region’s consumer habits and distribution channels, aiming to produce tangible export results within the year.
The Global NEXT K-Food Project stems from the A pillar (discovering and nurturing attractive products) of the Global K-Food Export Strategy announced last December. A public–private K-Food Export Planning Team selects high-potential items by region and concentrates support where it will have the biggest impact.
Participating companies are grouped into three tracks—Value-up, Brand-up, and Startup—and receive comprehensive backing for B2B and B2C marketing, product development, and access to distribution networks.
Each company will analyze market specifics, craft its own strategy, and set performance metrics—like channel placements, new-product launches, and export figures—so the program stays results-driven.
In the Value-up track, large and mid-sized firms form consortia with smaller companies to run regional joint marketing campaigns, giving SMEs a real foothold for overseas expansion.
For example, in the alcoholic beverages sector, small Korean craft breweries will team up with overseas distributors to break into North America through K-Restaurant Week events at upscale U.S. restaurants. In ASEAN markets, halal-certified pop-ups will showcase related hits like tteokbokki, banana-flavored milk, and ice cream to spark crossover demand.
In Latin America, organizers plan to spread K-street food culture—think gimari and cup-bap—through food trucks and university tasting events.
The Brand-up track focuses on elevating K-food’s image and brand recognition with joint marketing campaigns tuned to consumer trends across nine regions.
In Japan and China, exports of functional foods—collagen products, de-puffing teas, and protein drinks—are set to expand. In Oceania, promotion will center on fermented foods, gluten-free noodles, and meal kits that emphasize health and convenience.
In Central Asia (CIS), the plan is to strategically develop frozen foods, bakery items such as potato and sweet potato breads, and fresh fruit offerings like tangerines and kiwis.
The Startup track aims to commercialize next-generation K-foods that marry domestic ingredients with cutting-edge technology.
Support will back new products targeting Europe—examples include low-sugar grain syrups, rice chips made with food-printing technology, and shelf-stable dried radish-leaf meal kits—that balance functionality with convenience.
They also plan to localize ingredients and packaging and to develop new products tailored to each market, building competitive advantage around next-generation export prospects.
The Ministry says it will use the project to refine an export structure centered on regionally specialized items and to further strengthen the foundation for K-food’s global expansion.
Jeong Kyung-seok, Director of Food Industry Policy at the Ministry, emphasized, "We will actively support K-food’s sustained growth in global markets through collaboration between large and small companies, localized marketing, and technology-driven new-product development."
Photo: Korea Policy Briefing
(The CEN News) Reporter Kim Na-hyun press@mhns.co.kr
