As the popularity of Korean dumplings increases overseas, this year's dumpling export amount is expected to hit a record high. With the government's initiative opening export routes to Europe, manufacturers have recently begun offering plant-based dumplings as alternatives to meat, leading to a rising export volume.
According to the Korea Customs Service and the food industry, the export weight of frozen dumplings from January to October this year was recorded at 17,191 tons. This is an increase of about 10% compared to the same period last year. Combining the remaining two months' figures, it is expected to exceed the record high export weight (18,932 tons) set in 2021.
Frozen dumplings are classified as 'stuffed pasta' under the Harmonized System (HS) code for exports. They are treated as a category including Italian dumplings like ravioli. The export value of dumplings was limited to around $30 million (approximately 44.1 billion won) before the pandemic in 2019.
However, they experienced rapid growth during the pandemic. After surpassing $50 million (approximately 73.5 billion won) in 2020, it surpassed $60 million (approximately 88.2 billion won) in 2021. Last year saw the highest record ever. Compared to 2019, this year's dumpling export value and volume have both nearly doubled. Including dumplings produced by domestic manufacturers in overseas local factories, the total amount of domestic brand dumplings sold overseas is expected to increase significantly from now.
An industry official noted, 'Dumplings use a lot of raw materials such as beef or pork, so there are many restrictions in the export process, including quarantine.' They added, 'Particularly, South Korea is classified as a country with foot-and-mouth disease, so there are stringent requirements when exporting dumplings containing meat, leading to a notable demand for locally produced dumplings.'
The major export markets are the United States, Europe, Japan, and Australia. Experts evaluate that Korean dumplings, compared to ravioli or South American empanadas which fall under the same export category, have a strong health food image due to containing a considerable amount of plant-based ingredients such as vegetables and tofu. They also added that dumplings offer convenience, resulting in relatively less resistance.
CJ CheilJedang has maintained the top position in the domestic frozen dumpling market for over 10 years since launching its Bibigo fried dumplings in 2013. In the global market as well, it surpassed 1 trillion won in cumulative sales as early as 2020. Since 2020, CJ CheilJedang has not separately disclosed the sales figures of Bibigo dumplings. Estimates suggest that about one-third of total Bibigo brand sales come from overseas.
In the U.S., Bibigo dumplings ranked first in the American home-use (B2C) frozen dumpling market with a 42% market share last year. CJ CheilJedang, since entering the U.S. market in 2011, chose to retain the original term 'mandu' instead of using the more familiar English term 'dumpling.' While the name is in Korean, the flavor has been thoroughly localized. They introduced a dumpling with cilantro, which was unavailable domestically, and used chicken instead of pork, a meat preferred by Americans. This year, they have begun entering major supermarkets in Western Europe, including Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
Dongwon F&B devoted three years to research and development before entering the dumpling market. They categorized the domestic dumpling market into three phases. The first phase began in the late 1980s with the introduction of refrigerators, marking the early frozen dumpling format. The second phase was the era of giant dumplings in the early 2010s. This period saw the rise of not only Bibigo fried dumplings but also Pulmuone's filled dumplings and Haitai's thin-skinned giant dumplings. Dongwon F&B launched the Gyeongseong King Shrimp Dumpling, which includes whole shrimp in the filling, opening up the seafood dumpling market in Korea.
A Dongwon F&B official said, 'The new products introduced in 2020 incorporated manufacturing technologies accumulated over 30 years,' and noted, 'We mixed starch with boiling water to create a chewy texture and quickly froze the steamed dumplings at minus 30 degrees to prevent the formation of ice granules.'
Recently, the export volume of plant-based dumplings utilizing alternatives to meat has also increased. Plant-based dumplings have opened export paths to countries that could not export dumplings containing meat due to religious or quarantine reasons. Shinsegae Foods is exporting its Olban meat-free dumplings, which include tofu and mushrooms instead of meat, to countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Indonesia.
The Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) estimated the global consumption of dumplings at $5.3 billion (approximately 7.8 trillion won) as of last year. By 2032, this market is expected to grow to $12 billion (approximately 17.6 trillion won).
An aT official noted, 'Frozen dumplings have long been established in the European market under names like gyoza or dim sum, and recently, demand has steadily increased as the preference for plant-based foods has risen,' and added, 'Korean frozen dumplings are evaluated as having a good texture since they are made differently from previously distributed gyoza or dim sum products by not grinding meat or vegetables and cutting them into large pieces.'