This article was published on March 31, 2025, at 5:21 a.m. on the ChosunBiz RM Report site.
It is not only Korean food that aims to enter overseas markets. Domestic large-scale catering companies are also seeing opportunities in international markets. The popularity of K-food in overseas markets has increased interest in Korean cuisine. Domestic large-scale catering companies are actively pursuing growth opportunities in overseas markets in the medium to long term.
According to the distribution industry on the 31st, the number of overseas catering business sites for three companies, including OURHOME, Hyundai Green Food, and Samsung Welstory, has been steadily increasing. In 2020, the number of overseas catering business sites for these three companies was 253, but as of the end of last year, it had increased to 313, a rise of about 20%.
Until now, domestic catering companies often relied on supplies from their group companies to enter foreign markets. However, recently they have been signing contracts not with supplies from group companies but with overseas catering business sites.
Samsung Welstory is a notable example. 80% of Samsung Welstory's overseas catering business sites are not affiliated with the Samsung Group. Major clients include FPT Software, known as Microsoft (MS) in Vietnam, the global tire manufacturer Michelin, and Regent, the world's largest original equipment manufacturer.
OURHOME is focusing on expanding its catering business in the Vietnamese market. As of the end of last year, local companies, not domestic enterprises, made up about 53% of the catering business sites in Vietnam. Hyundai Green Food signed a business agreement with the Korea Agricultural and Fisheries Food Corporation (aT) in December last year to expand Korean cuisine in overseas catering establishments. Hyundai Green Food has been growing its overseas catering business sites since its entry into the United Arab Emirates in 2011. Last year, its overseas catering sales exceeded 90 billion won.
◇ The popularity of K-food has heightened interest in Korean cuisine.
The reason domestic catering companies are accelerating their entry into overseas markets is due to the growing preference for Korean food. Until now, domestic catering companies found it difficult to appear attractive when competing with local enterprises, aside from their low prices. However, as the interest in Korean cuisine has risen, the ability to prepare Korean dishes has become a significant advantage. An industry insider noted, "We are benefiting from the Korean Wave," adding that "especially in Southeast Asia, preference has significantly increased."
However, the overseas strategies of the three major catering companies differ slightly. Samsung Welstory is implementing a strategy to leverage its strength in Korean culinary expertise by training specialized chefs in Korean cuisine and deploying them to the field. Samsung Welstory plans to increase the share of overseas sales to 30% of total revenue by 2033. OURHOME is also dispatching professional nutritionists and chefs from Korea to local sites.
Hyundai Green Food takes a different approach. It focuses on maximizing the use of semi-prepared Korean cooking ingredients and home meal replacements. This allows local staff unfamiliar with Korean cooking to easily replicate the flavors, helping to resolve staffing issues.
◇ The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety also seeks to address challenges for industries expanding overseas.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is also working to assist the catering industry in its overseas market strategies. The ministry compiled and provided information on the 'Food Hygiene Regulations and Status for Major Countries in Catering.' This includes information on the catering safety regulations, approval procedures, responsible agencies, facility standards, and compliance criteria in seven countries: the United States, Canada, India, China, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
A representative from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said, "Although the overseas expansion of domestic catering groups has been increasing every year, many domestic corporations face difficulties due to a lack of accurate information on the catering safety management regulations and systems in export countries."