K-Food, Different Strategies for Each Country... aT Launches Customized Local Marketing

On-Site Strategies Tailored to Local Culture and Consumer Trends
'Halal' in Indonesia, 'Chimaek' in the United States
Expanding from Offline Events to Online Purchases via QR Codes

The approach to expanding the overseas market for K-Food is evolving. It is no longer limited to simply exhibiting products at international expos and connecting exporters with local buyers; now, there is a stronger emphasis on localization strategies tailored to the consumer culture and market characteristics of each country. This approach connects consumer experiences, export consultations, and even online sales.

The Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) operated the integrated Korea Pavilion at the '2026 Australia International Food Expo (FFA)' held in Melbourne, Australia from August 31 to September 3, achieving export consultation results totaling approximately 41.66 million dollars. Prior to this, earlier in the summer, aT implemented diverse on-site marketing strategies across the world—including in Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the United States, China, India, and the Philippines—to further expand the global reach of K-Food exports.

Visitors who visited the integrated Korea Pavilion operated by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) at the '2026 Australia International Food Expo (FFA)', held in Melbourne, Australia from August 31 to September 3. aT

The key is to "present the same product differently depending on the market." In Indonesia, the world's largest halal market, aT leveraged a "Halal Universe" concept, positioning halal certification as a competitive advantage for K-Food. In contrast, in Kazakhstan, tteokbokki and kimchi fried rice were introduced as familiar street foods rather than typical Korean restaurant menu items. In the United States, the well-established pairing of fried chicken and beer ("Chimaek") in the local dining scene was used as a touchpoint, allowing attendees to sample Korean-style sauces with chicken and enjoy traditional snacks, thus naturally introducing K-Food. At the Qingdao International Beer Festival in China, the focus was on Korean foods that pair well with beer, such as "K-Anju" and "Somaek" (beer mixed with soju). This strategy naturally incorporated K-Food into local food and cultural experiences already enjoyed by consumers. Linking consumer experiences with buyer consultations has also been utilized to drive better export outcomes.

In Indonesia, a "Sales Roadshow for Agri-food" was held for large retail buyers and a popup store for consumers, spaced ten days apart, resulting in export agreements totaling 2.45 million dollars. In New Delhi, India, both B2B export consultations and consumer experience programs were conducted, leading to memoranda of understanding (MOUs) worth 9.5 million dollars, with about 14,000 consumers attending the event. In the Philippines, a series of pre-arranged online consultations led to one-on-one meetings between 70 buyers and domestic companies, resulting in export consultations totaling 9.52 million dollars. These interactive settings, where consumers could taste products and express feedback firsthand, provided buyers with concrete evidence of market potential, which in turn led to further export consultations and contracts.

Scenes from the "2026 India New Delhi K-Food Fair" held by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) in New Delhi, India, from July 30 to August 2 this year. aT

Another key strategy for aT is to connect offline events to online expansion. At the Qingdao International Beer Festival, aT collaborated with famous Chinese influencers to host a live-commerce broadcast, which attracted about 120,000 viewers. QR codes linking to online Korean food pavilions on major Chinese e-commerce platforms were installed at the event site, allowing on-the-spot experiences to convert directly into purchases. At the Chimaek Festival in the United States, on-site experiences were extended online through consumer surveys and social media missions, and aT's Jakarta office is preparing promotional content targeting the MZ generation in Australia using influencer-driven short-form content.

The local response has also been positive. An Indonesian consumer remarked, "Every day at the venue, there were new programs, so visiting again always felt refreshing." An American consumer shared, "It was fun to try different Korean sauces with chicken and compare them, and trying Injeolmi snacks for the first time was impressive." A Kazakhstani consumer said, "It was an amazing experience to enjoy kimchi fried rice outdoors, which I had only ever had at Korean restaurants." Buyers offered enthusiastic reviews as well: "There are many products that boast not only excellent taste and quality but also come with halal certification, which makes them trustworthy," said a representative from an Indonesian food distributor, while a Philippine import buyer commented, "It was great to be able to check out various new K-Food products firsthand at the expo."

An aT representative stated, "The buzz generated on-site at events rarely lasts longer than a day. Only when it is reignited online and leads to actual purchases can we say that the event has fulfilled its purpose, which is why aT is focusing our efforts on marketing strategies connected to the digital space. As we introduce K-Food to new markets with diverse obstacles—such as unfamiliar halal markets or high quarantine barriers—we will continue to develop tailored approaches for each market to further expand the presence of K-Food."

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