KOTRA Launches Full-Scale Support for K-Food with One-Stop Logistics and Delivery in Partnership with North America's Largest Asian Distributor

LA Trade Center Leads Customs, Cold Chain, and Marketing Support
'Taste of Korea 2026' Showcase Held

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (hereinafter referred to as KOTRA) is launching an integrated, one-stop logistics system to support domestic food companies seeking to enter the U.S. market by providing end-to-end services, including local import customs clearance, storage, transportation, and delivery to distribution networks.

On August 25, KOTRA announced that, among its ten global 'K-Consumer Goods Logistics Desks,' it will launch the 'One-Stop Logistics Support Program for Supplying Korean Food to Specialized U.S. Distributors,' centered at the Los Angeles Trade Center.

This program provides tailored support for all logistics processes for Korean food companies by utilizing overseas joint logistics centers, including import customs clearance, warehouse storage, and inland transportation under a cold chain system to maintain product freshness. In addition, the program links to local business-to-business (B2B) marketing efforts to enable direct supply of products to major distribution networks.

As a result of building this logistics infrastructure, KOTRA successfully hosted the 'Taste of Korea 2026' showcase near Los Angeles, U.S., on August 22 (local time) in partnership with 'JFC International,' the largest Asian food distribution company in North America. JFC is a subsidiary of Japan’s renowned soy sauce brand Kikkoman Group and is a major wholesale and distribution company, supplying over 10,000 outlets—including leading distributors such as Walmart, Kroger, and Safeway, as well as restaurants and hotels.

At the event, six Korean food companies prepared and showcased items such as frozen gimbap, desserts, and protein powders on-site. More than 500 representatives from major distribution chains and food service industries, who are JFC's primary clients, attended the event to sample the products and consider purchasing them.

A JFC representative who participated in the event stated, “With U.S. consumer demand for Korean food rising sharply, logistics competitiveness has become an essential factor for market expansion in the region. This collaboration is expected to further expand the variety of Korean foods delivered to local consumers through our distribution network.”

Lee Geum-ha, Head of KOTRA North America, said, “Through our K-Consumer Goods Logistics Desks, we have established a one-stop bridge that provides integrated support for local certification, customs clearance, and logistics—the biggest obstacles to our companies’ exports—enabling them to enter the largest Asian food distribution network in the U.S. more reliably. Going forward, we will continue to combine logistics infrastructure with tailored marketing to actively support the diversification of export channels for Korean companies and help them expand into various local distribution networks.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.