Four-day event runs at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province

1,800 companies from 49 countries participating

US joins as guest of honor nation marking its 250th anniversary

288 buyers from 46 countries invited

Export consultation target set at $650 million

Seoul Food 2026, a four-day exhibition KOTRA is hosting at KINTEX Exhibition Halls 1 and 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, opened Tuesday. [KOTRA]
Seoul Food 2026, a four-day exhibition KOTRA is hosting at KINTEX Exhibition Halls 1 and 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, opened Tuesday. [KOTRA]

Seoul Food 2026, South Korea's largest food industry exhibition, opened Tuesday at its biggest scale ever, giving domestic food companies a venue to expand overseas distribution and pursue export deals as K-food shipments continue to grow.

Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) said it is hosting the four-day event at KINTEX Exhibition Halls 1 and 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

Now in its 44th edition, Seoul Food ranks among Asia's top four comprehensive food industry exhibitions. This year's event draws 1,800 companies from 49 countries operating a total of 3,400 booths. The exhibition is organized into domestic, international and food tech halls, showcasing industry trends, new products and technology.

The United States is participating as this year's guest of honor nation, marking the 250th anniversary of its founding with a delegation of more than 40 companies. The US pavilion features a range of agricultural and food products including meat, snacks, nuts and sustainable ingredients. The US's official participation as guest of honor — notable among overseas food exhibitions — has drawn particular attention.

K-food exports have maintained steady growth. Shipments of agricultural, fishery and food products surpassed $10 billion in 2021 and reached $12.4 billion last year, a 6.5 percent increase from the previous year. The momentum has carried into this year, with exports reaching $5.4 billion through May, up 7.2 percent from the same period a year earlier. The government and KOTRA aim to hit $20 billion in food exports ahead of schedule.

Export consultation programs have also been expanded. KOTRA will host an overseas buyer export consultation session over two days beginning Tuesday, arranging meetings between 288 buyers from 46 countries and South Korean food companies. This year's targets are 5,000 consultations with a combined export consultation value of $650 million. Last year's Seoul Food-linked consultation event produced 3,878 sessions worth $536.18 million.

Online and digital marketing programs will run alongside the exhibition. Tuesday features "Global Commerce Day," a live-selling event tied to Asian influencers from China, Vietnam and Taiwan. Wednesday will see special live broadcasts with Coupang Inc and Grip, while Thursday and Friday will support domestic sales expansion through Naver Shopping live commerce.

A specialized conference on food technology is also on the program. The Global Food Trend & Tech Conference 2026 — now in its 10th year — will be held under the theme "AI & Robotics: The Era of Foodtech Convergence," with domestic and international experts discussing technological shifts in the food industry and response strategies. A "Love Food" donation campaign supporting vulnerable members of local communities will run concurrently.

KOTRA President Kang Gyeong-seong said K-food "has grown into a strategic industry that goes beyond simple food exports to spread our industrial competitiveness and cultural value to global markets." He added that he hopes Seoul Food "will establish itself as a core platform supporting Korean food companies' entry into global markets and sustained growth, creating a virtuous cycle of K-food export expansion and industry development."


kwater@heraldcorp.com