Korea pavilion at Feria Alimentaria marks record size

Local buyers, cooking shows anchor export consultations

Braised oxtail, chicken, bibimbap featured at hansik night

KOTRA's headquarters in Yangjae, Seoul. [KOTRA]
KOTRA's headquarters in Yangjae, Seoul. [KOTRA]

As the K-food craze spreads across Latin America, the largest-ever Korea pavilion dedicated to Korean food was set up at Guatemala's biggest food trade fair, held in a key Central American market.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) said Monday they operated a Korea pavilion at Feria Alimentaria 2026, held Tuesday through Thursday at the Tikal Futura Hotel & Convention Center in Guatemala City. A total of 43 South Korean companies exhibited products, including one firm that sent staff on-site.

The event was part of the "agricultural food market development project," a joint initiative by the ministry and KOTRA to diversify K-food export markets. This year, the two agencies designated 10 countries as strategic targets for overseas market entry: Guatemala, Ghana, South Africa, Laos, Argentina, Uzbekistan, India, Chile, Turkey and Qatar.

KOTRA ran the Korea pavilion in cooperation with four local Guatemalan buyers that import K-food in large volumes, as well as the South Korean diplomatic mission in the country, combining product experiences with business consultations. A professional chef held two cooking shows per day alongside tasting events and business-to-business export consultations.

Kim Seung-ki, head of KOTRA's Guatemala trade office, delivered a lecture at the fair's conference on the theme of "Korea-Guatemala cooperation and K-food." KOTRA is also pursuing cross-agency consultations for two South Korean companies seeking local promotion, coordinating through its Santiago, Chile trade office.

A "Guatemala hansik night" event was held Thursday. Working with a local Korean restaurant, organizers presented seven hansik dishes — including braised oxtail, chicken and bibimbap — made with ingredients supplied by companies participating in the exhibition. Local food and beverage industry figures, political and business leaders, and media representatives were invited to explore the potential of Korean ingredients as menu items in the local dining scene.

Kim Deuk-hwan, South Korea's ambassador to Guatemala, said K-food is "the most accessible vehicle for spreading our culture," adding that he hopes the Korea pavilion will spark broader consumer interest that reaches the retail and food service sectors, deepening economic and cultural ties between South Korea and Guatemala.

Kim Seung-ki, head of KOTRA's Guatemala trade office, said Guatemala "is a key Central American market connecting North and South America, where modern and traditional retail networks coexist, making it well-positioned to serve as a hub for the spread of K-culture." He added that KOTRA would "highlight the distinctiveness of K-food and work with the diplomatic mission and local buyers to serve as a bridgehead for expanding the market across the Americas."


eyre@heraldcorp.com