Record K-Food+ Exports Hit $13.62 Billion in 2025; Ramen Tops $1.52 Billion
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
South Korea’s K-Food+ exports reached a record $13.62 billion in 2025, up 5.1% from the prior year. K-Food+ includes agricultural food products (K-food) plus related industries like smart farms, farm equipment, and animal pharmaceuticals. Agricultural food exports exceeded $10 billion for the first time at $10.41 billion, while agro-industry exports totaled $3.22 billion — both all-time highs. Ramen led gains as a single product, jumping 21.9% to $1.52 billion, helped by new flavors (e.g., cheese-spicy ramen) and expanding demand in markets from China and the U.S. to Central Asia (CIS) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Sauces — including gochujang (Korean red chili paste) and other spicy-sweet condiments — and kimchi, grapes, and strawberries also set export records. Ice cream surpassed $100 million in exports for the first time, boosted by vegan, low-fat, and sugar-free variants. Agricultural machinery, pesticides, fertilizers, seeds, and animal medicines all posted solid growth, with farm machinery up 10.8% despite trade headwinds. The government has set a 2026 K-Food+ export target of $16 billion and plans a public–private “K-Food Export Taskforce” to support global expansion.
