Export consultations projected at $650 million, up 160% from last year; K-food and food tech on display through Friday at KINTEX
South Korea's largest food exhibition has opened its doors.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, KOTRA and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs are hosting Seoul Food 2026 at KINTEX Halls 1 and 2 from Tuesday through Friday.
Now in its 44th edition since launching in 1983, Seoul Food ranks among Asia's four major food trade fairs alongside those held in Shanghai, Bangkok and Tokyo.
This year's event drew a record 1,800 food companies from 49 countries, including 288 overseas exhibitors.
Export consultation activity has also surged. Organizers projected that pre-tallied export consultations would reach $650 million — up roughly 160 percent from last year.
A global food trends and technology conference running throughout the event will center on the theme "Food Convergence in the Age of AI and Robots." The Seoul Food Awards, which recognize outstanding products in alternative meat, specialty foods and food tech, will also be presented, alongside a LOVE FOOD donation campaign supporting vulnerable communities.
The United States is this year's guest of honor, marking the country's 250th anniversary of independence. The US pavilion spans 82 booths and will showcase a range of products including meat, snacks, nuts and eco-friendly ingredients.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will host a "K-Food Inbound Buyer Export Consultation" session during the event, inviting buyers from 10 strategic markets including Qatar, Chile and Laos. The ministry plans to focus on opening new export channels for products such as kimchi, fermented pastes and traditional Korean liquors.
Jeong Gyeong-seok, the ministry's director general for food industry policy, said the government would "actively support the expansion of global markets, including the halal market, and diversify strategic export items so that K-food exports can create new opportunities even amid crises such as the recent instability in the Middle East."
adastra@heraldcorp.com
