20-day event at Globus Eschborn draws 35,000 visitors, tops 35,000 euros in sales

Local consumers sample Korean food products and take part in promotional activities during the "Korea Week" K-food event held at Globus, a leading German hypermarket chain, from Aug. 3 to Aug. 22. [KOTRA]
Local consumers sample Korean food products and take part in promotional activities during the "Korea Week" K-food event held at Globus, a leading German hypermarket chain, from Aug. 3 to Aug. 22. [KOTRA]

KOTRA held the "2026 Germany K-Food Promotion" at the Eschborn branch of Globus, a leading European hypermarket chain of German origin, from Aug. 3 to Aug. 22, the trade promotion agency announced Monday.

Founded in 1828, Globus operates about 160 large-format hypermarkets across Europe, including in Germany and the Czech Republic. The chain is regarded as a conservative retail network that places a premium on product quality and locally tailored merchandise.

KOTRA has been working to build ties with Globus for years. Last year, it helped a South Korean company sign a global food consulting contract as part of an effort to introduce "Korea Kitchen," a bibimbap specialty restaurant concept, to two Globus stores. The response from local consumers confirmed the potential for K-food in the German market.

Building on that demonstrated demand, this year's event combined promotional activities, food tastings and hansik experiences into a comprehensive marketing campaign.

The Eschborn store, located near Frankfurt, serves as a key test site where Globus trials new products. KOTRA said it hopes the results of this event will pave the way for expanding K-food supply to other Globus locations.

Eighteen South Korean K-food companies participated in the event, showcasing a total of 80 products. The lineup included established Globus suppliers — CJ Group, Nongshim, Dongwon, Sempio and Samlip — alongside eight companies seeking to enter the chain for the first time.

Weekend tasting sessions were held throughout the three-week promotion. On Aug. 13, KOTRA hosted a "hansik experience dinner" for about 40 guests, including local dignitaries and Globus food division officials.

The dinner featured representative Korean dishes — bulgogi, bibimbap, kimchi pancakes and yakgwa — served in a multi-course format. A cooking show led by the chef from the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Frankfurt and a hansik storytelling session were also held.

Demand for K-food in Germany is growing rapidly. Germany is both Europe's largest food market and South Korea's top agricultural export destination on the continent. K-food exports to Germany this year reached $70 million, up 35 percent from the same period last year.

According to the "Food Trend Report 2025" by Lieferando, Germany's largest food delivery platform, orders for Korean food in Germany surged 194 percent year on year — the largest increase among all national cuisines tracked, including Italian, American, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese.

The three-week promotion drew about 35,000 visitors. On-site sales exceeded 35,000 euros ($40,900), with roughly 13,000 products sold. Korean food sales at the Eschborn store in August rose 603 percent compared with the same month last year — approximately sevenfold — the strongest growth among all international food categories carried by the store.

Stefan Stolz, branch manager of Globus Eschborn, called the three-week Korean food promotion "a great success" and said he hopes to hold an even larger event in the future based on this experience.

KOTRA said expanding access to mainstream and premium retail networks is key to sustaining K-food's momentum, and plans to deepen cooperation with community-rooted, upscale distributors such as Globus.

"Unlike in the past, I am struck by how quickly even conservative major retailers are moving to expand their Korean consumer goods offerings," said Kim Yeon-jae, head of KOTRA's Europe regional headquarters. "We will systematically support the entry of a wider range of Korean consumer products into the European market by strengthening cooperation with local retail networks."


eyre@heraldcorp.com