Presidential visit fuels K-culture interest

34 food firms receive market-entry support

Local restaurant tie-ups to drive menu development

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and KOTRA held a K-food promotion event, cooking show and hands-on experience at Abasto, a major shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from Aug. 19 to 23. [KOTRA]
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and KOTRA held a K-food promotion event, cooking show and hands-on experience at Abasto, a major shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from Aug. 19 to 23. [KOTRA]

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and KOTRA, working with the South Korean Embassy in Argentina, the Korean Cultural Center and the Korea International Trade Association (KITA)'s São Paulo office, held a K-food promotion event, cooking show and hands-on experience at Abasto shopping mall in Buenos Aires from Aug. 19 to 23, the agencies announced Monday.

The event was part of the agencies' agricultural food market development project, under which they identify promising export markets and provide intensive support to help domestic food companies enter them. Argentina was included as a target country for the first time this year.

KOTRA's Buenos Aires trade center offered one-stop support to 34 domestic small and medium-sized food enterprises, covering brand promotion, buyer consultations and on-site marketing.

Argentina's long-standing protectionism had limited K-food's access to the market, but easing import regulations have opened it up in recent years. According to market research firm Statista, Argentina's food market was valued at $61.7 billion last year and is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 8.3 percent over the next five years, surpassing $100 billion by 2031.

K-food exports to the country are also rising rapidly. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation's export information service, K-food exports to Argentina reached $9.6 million last year, up 87 percent from the previous year. Korean snacks, noodles and frozen foods are also expanding their presence in major local retail chains, including Coto, Jumbo and Carrefour.

The promotion was held at Abasto, which draws an average of about 35,000 visitors a day, and was designed to let consumers taste and experience K-food firsthand. The venue displayed flagship products from all 34 participating companies, and cultural performances — including K-pop dance and taekwondo — were held alongside. Local influencers were enlisted for SNS promotion, helping spread awareness of K-food and K-culture to more than 5 million people across online and offline channels combined.

KOTRA also organized events with local restaurant operators to explore how Korean ingredients could be adapted for the local market. On Aug. 19, it hosted a cooking show at HAN, South America's first Michelin-starred restaurant, inviting 10 local food service and franchise industry partners. Chefs showcased dishes that reinterpreted popular local menu items in a Korean style using ingredients such as jang-based sauces and kimchi.

The initiative aims to demonstrate how Korean ingredients can be naturally incorporated into local cuisine, and to encourage the local restaurant industry to develop menus using hansik ingredients and expand consumption.

KOTRA also promoted Korean alcoholic beverages. On Aug. 20, it joined forces with KITA's São Paulo office to participate in the largest wine exhibition in the country, holding a promotion and tasting event for K-liquor products including soju and traditional Korean spirits. About 1,000 people attended, including local bartenders and liquor import and retail industry representatives. KOTRA said it aims to raise the profile of K-liquor and identify new consumer trends and business opportunities within the local spirits market.

Lee Jong-hwa, South Korea's ambassador to Argentina, said interest in K-content in Argentina has been naturally spreading to consumer goods including K-food. "I hope this event serves as a strong example of how culture and commerce come together under the K-initiative, and becomes an opportunity to further broaden the scope of exchange and cooperation between the two countries," he said.

Nam Seon-woo, head of KOTRA's Buenos Aires trade center, said the Argentine government's market-opening stance and local consumers' favorable perception of K-culture had already been building momentum, and the recent presidential visit had heightened interest further. "We will seize this opportunity to expand not only K-consumer goods exports but also localization projects in partnership with the local food service industry," he said.


eyre@heraldcorp.com