# Food Week Korea 2026 in Seoul: on-site export contracts total $14 million, up 18% year on year

- Published: 2026-11-11 10:48 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Agritech & food
- Tags: Food Week Korea 2026, Korean food exports, on-site export contracts, COEX Seoul, Ministry of Agriculture Korea, bulgogi sauce export, Korean strawberries Singapore, traditional liquor export
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-e307a751a5c2476efe4d5994_food_week_korea/

**The Ministry of Agriculture reported 2937 export consultations at the Seoul fair; contracts for fresh produce and traditional liquor grew 515% to about $8 million.**

![Food Week Korea 2026 in Seoul: on-site export contracts total $14 million, up 18% year on year](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/915b56a12b581915.jpg)
*Goutam1962, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

Food Week Korea 2026, held at COEX in Seoul from the 4th to the 7th, produced 47 on-site export contracts worth $14 million, about 18% more than a year earlier. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the results on the 11th, as reported by biz.heraldcorp.com. [1] The organizers recorded 2937 export consultations over the four days. [1]

The fair brought together about 1000 food companies and 252 buyer firms from 46 countries. The exhibition hall had 1622 booths. According to the report, the number of visitors, counting the general public and buyers, was the highest in the event's history and exceeded last year's figure. [1]

## Sauces and ingredients for restaurants and caterers

Sauces, including bulgogi marinade, and other Korean food ingredients drew particular attention. Representatives of large US catering and distribution companies showed interest in using Korean ingredients in local institutional catering and restaurant markets and discussed specific supply arrangements with Korean companies. [1]

The report notes that export talks, previously centered on finished products, are extending to sauces and ingredients used by restaurants and catering firms. [1]

## Fresh produce, traditional liquor and a strawberry pilot

Fresh fruit and vegetables such as grapes and strawberries, together with traditional liquor, also contributed to the growth. On-site contracts for these categories came to about $8 million, 515% more than last year. [1] The venue hosted tastings of fresh produce and traditional liquor, and a live showcase called "K-Jumak" let foreign buyers try Korean traditional liquor directly. [1]

Regional products were presented as well, including a premium dessert made from Sancheong dried persimmon with yuzu, jujube, pine nuts and ginseng. Buyers assessed export potential through tastings and consultations. [1]

A memorandum of understanding was signed for a high-ripeness strawberry export pilot project involving producers, an exporter and a buyer from Singapore. The agreement is intended as a basis for expanding Korean strawberries in overseas markets. [1]

Minister of Agriculture Song Mi-ryeong visited the fair on the 7th, the last day, and listened to opinions from companies on export practice. She said K-food has reached a "golden time" and that the ministry would provide policy and diplomatic support to food companies. [1]

## Sources

1. [biz.heraldcorp.com](https://biz.heraldcorp.com/article/10933155)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-e307a751a5c2476efe4d5994_food_week_korea/