South Korea’s culinary appeal has captivated style buds worldwide, and it is not nearly kimchi and ramyeon anymore. The nation’s bakery-related exports reached a report $440 million this yr, showcasing the world’s rising urge for food for Korean snacks, pies, and distinctive treats like steamed buns and fish-shaped pastries. With Ok-pop and Ok-dramas paving the way in which for cultural affect, Korean meals merchandise are discovering enthusiastic followers throughout borders, significantly within the United States, China, and Japan.
South Korea’s exports of bakery-related merchandise, similar to snacks, reached a report excessive this yr, bolstered by the rising international recognition of Korean tradition and delicacies, the customs company stated on Tuesday.
Outbound shipments of bakery merchandise got here to an all-time excessive of $440 million within the January-November interval, up 8.3 per cent from the identical interval final yr, based on knowledge from the Korea Customs Service.
Snacks accounted for the most important share of the exports, representing 72.5 per cent of the full, experiences Yonhap information company. Notably, exports of baked items similar to pies surged 18.9 per cent on-year, pushed by the attraction of distinctive objects similar to steamed buns and fish-shaped pastries.
The company attributed the expansion to the rising affect of Ok-pop tradition, which has sparked heightened international curiosity within the native delicacies.
By vacation spot, the United States ranked as the highest importer, accounting for 33.5 per cent of South Korea’s bakery product exports, adopted by China and Japan.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s exports of agricultural merchandise reached a report excessive in the course of the first 9 months of 2024, led by sturdy demand for immediate noodles, snacks and beverage merchandise.
Outbound shipments of agricultural items rose 8.3 % on-year to return to $7.38 billion within the January-September interval, based on the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It marked a report for any nine-month determine, it added.
The progress was primarily led by sturdy demand for immediate noodles, or “ramyeon” in Korean, as their exports jumped 29.6 % on-year to $938 million, a report excessive. Last yr’s complete ramyeon exports have been $952 million. Exports of snacks gained 15.5 per cent on-year to $560 million in the course of the January-September interval, and people of beverage merchandise climbed 13.6 per cent to $557 million.
Processed rice merchandise, similar to gimbap, cooked rice and tteokbokki, soared 41.6 per cent to $217.9 million, which already surpassed final yr’s complete gross sales of $217.2 million.
South Korea’s bakery growth is a testomony to the worldwide resonance of its tradition and delicacies. As Ok-food continues to thrive on the worldwide stage, it is clear that Korean snacks and baked items are extra than simply exports-they’re ambassadors of a wealthy, vibrant tradition that delights the world, one chunk at a time.
