PR for Export-Driven Food & Agriculture Brands: How to Approach South Korea

What commodity boards and CPG brands need to know before entering the Korean market

South Korea is one of the most dynamic and export-ready markets for food and agriculture organizations—particularly commodity boards and CPG brands looking to grow in Asia. It is a market where the right PR and marketing strategy can accelerate listings, partnerships, and long-term brand equity, but where missteps also travel quickly.

For export-driven organizations, South Korea is not simply another Asian market. It is a credibility market, a trend accelerator, and often a gateway into broader Asia-Pacific expansion.

Why South Korea Matters for Export-Driven Food and Agriculture Brands

South Korea is a high-value, highly urbanized market that relies heavily on imported food and agricultural products.

In recent years, South Korea has imported roughly USD $40–45 billion (approximately CAD $55–60 billion) in agri-food and seafood annually, compared with exports closer to USD $12–15 billion, underscoring a persistent food trade deficit. Food and agricultural products account for roughly 6 percent of total merchandise imports, making Korea strategically important for exporters.

From a global perspective, South Korea consistently ranks among the top dozen agri-food and seafood importers worldwide, which is why multinational organizations such as the Almond Board of California, U.S. Meat Export Federation, and U.S. Dairy Export Council have invested heavily in sustained, in-market campaigns.

For many commodity boards and food brands, Korea also functions as a test market. Categories such as premium U.S. cherries, Australian beef, avocados, and tree nuts have often gained early traction in Korea before expanding more broadly across North Asia.

From a PR and marketing standpoint, South Korea matters because:

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  It is a credibility market where quality, safety, and provenance outweigh hype

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  It acts as a trend accelerator, with ideas often moving quickly from Seoul into retail and foodservice across the region

How Korean Food Culture Shapes PR Strategy

Korean consumers blend deep culinary tradition with a modern, convenience-first lifestyle. This context should shape every PR, content, and research decision.

Convenience is cultural, not a compromise

Korea’s well-known “ppalli-ppalli” (fast-fast) culture has driven the rise of ready-to-eat meals, premium instant products, and ultra-fast grocery delivery.

Platforms such as Coupang—now the country’s largest e-commerce retailer and often described as the “Amazon of South Korea”—have reshaped expectations through services like Rocket Fresh, offering same- or next-day delivery of fresh food. Market Kurly’s dawn delivery (새벽배송) has further normalized late-night ordering for early-morning arrival, while SSG.com, backed by Shinsegae, blends department-store curation with grocery sourcing.

PR implication: Storylines that show how products fit into everyday cooking shortcuts, lunchbox prep, or single-person households tend to outperform abstract global brand narratives.

Health is expected—and tightly regulated

Health and functional foods in Korea are governed by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) under the Health Functional Foods Act. Functional ingredients and claims require prior approval, including safety and functionality dossiers.

In recent years, MFDS has tightened guidance around functional claims for general foods to reduce vague or misleading marketing. Claims related to immunity, weight control, digestion, or gut health must align with MFDS-approved ingredients and permitted language, particularly when products are not registered as health functional foods.

PR implication: Export-ready communication should lead with systems and proof—certifications, safety standards, traceability, and technical data—rather than broad wellness claims. PR materials should echo compliant language rather than invent new phrasing.

Premium gifting drives seasonal volume

Seasonal gifting around Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok remains a major driver of high-value food purchases. Categories such as premium beef, fruit, edible oils, and health products (notably red ginseng) consistently rank among the most popular gifts.

Highly designed gift sets—including upscale presentations of everyday items like processed meats or canned foods—often outperform mid-priced options. (Spam gift boxes are a well-known example of how packaging and positioning can elevate perceived value.)

PR implication: These periods create natural hooks around gift-worthiness, origin stories, packaging design, and limited-edition concepts tied to major holidays.

Retail & Grocery: Where Visibility Really Starts

Retail dynamics strongly influence which stories resonate with Korean media and buyers.

Hypermarkets and superstores

E-Mart, Homeplus, and Lotte Mart dominate the hypermarket segment, with E-Mart holding a significant share and operating more than 160 large-format stores, along with warehouse clubs.

These retailers are rebalancing floor space toward food and fresh categories to compete with e-commerce, making performance data, in-store activations, and promotional readiness strong PR angles.

Online and premium grocery

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  Market Kurly is known for premium fresh foods and dawn delivery, targeting quality-focused shoppers

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  SSG.com leverages Shinsegae’s department-store and Emart supply chains

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  Coupang leads the market in scale and speed through Rocket Fresh

PR implication: Demonstrating e-commerce readiness—pack formats, cold-chain stability, and strong visuals—is increasingly important for both media and trade audiences.

Convenience stores as trend incubators

CU, GS25, and 7-Eleven Korea frequently launch limited-edition or collaborative SKUs that go viral on social media before expanding into grocery or foodservice.

For many categories, the pathway often looks like: Convenience store → social buzz → grocery listings → foodservice adoption

PR opportunity: Limited-run convenience collaborations can generate early buzz, user-generated content, and proof points for importers and retailers.

Media, Experts, and Trust Signals

Food PR in Korea is less about volume and more about credibility.

English-language media for export credibility

Outlets such as The Korea Herald, The Korea Times, Yonhap News (English), and Korea JoongAng Daily are widely indexed by global search engines and often used in investor and trade due diligence. Coverage here punches above its domestic reach and supports AI-driven discoverability.

Korean-language mainstream and trade media

While national newspapers and broadcasters remain agenda-setters, trade and B2B publications are often where importers, manufacturers, and foodservice buyers look for category-specific information.

For commodity boards, technical features, supply updates, and case studies in trade media frequently generate more qualified inquiries than consumer press alone.

Experts beyond journalists

The Korean Dietetic Association has highlighted growing demand for dietitians across food companies, retail, and foodservice. Research shows dietitians’ roles expanding into prevention, public communication, and product education.

Chef-educators, food scientists, and TV food personalities further shape credibility—particularly when they act as explainers rather than endorsers.

PR reality: For commodity boards, expert-led recipes, nutrition briefings, and educational webinars often outperform brand-led messaging in both media and buyer conversations.

Trade Shows and In-Market Touchpoints

Seoul Food & Hotel

Recognized as one of Asia’s largest food trade shows, Seoul Food & Hotel attracts importers, distributors, retailers, and foodservice operators from Korea and across the region.

PR strategy: Aligning announcements, chef demos, or nutrition briefings with the show can turn a booth presence into a concentrated wave of media, meetings, and follow-up content.

Regional expos such as the Busan International Food Expo offer additional opportunities for niche categories and technical storytelling.

Regulatory Awareness as a PR Asset

In Korea, regulatory alignment is not just compliance—it is credibility.

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  Health functional foods fall under the Health Functional Foods Act

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  General foods making functional references must comply with MFDS rules governing permitted language and ingredient thresholds

PR best practice: Lead with certifications (HACCP, organic, Halal where relevant), traceability systems, safety protocols, and supply reliability. These signals resonate strongly with Korean media and buyers.

Building a Korea-Ready PR Toolkit

Export-focused organizations benefit from a tailored toolkit that reflects Korean expectations:

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  Korea-specific positioning and usage occasions (e.g., jjigae, bibimbap, snacks, gifting)

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  Localized press materials in English and Korean with compliant claims

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  High-quality visuals suited to e-commerce and gifting

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  Certification and MFDS-related documentation

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  Data snapshots from consumer or trade research

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  Trained spokespeople and expert partners

At 6 Seeds Consulting, these toolkits are built by integrating market research, regulatory awareness, and PR strategy—so campaigns land with credibility from day one.

Story Angles That Consistently Win in Korea

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  Provenance and quality systems (e.g., USDA grading, PDO/PGI marks)

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  Convenience without compromise

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  Premium and seasonal gifting

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  Culinary adaptability to Korean cooking

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  Supply reliability and export readiness

These narratives perform best when supported by data, experts, and consistent third-party validation.

Why PR Matters Even More in the AI Era

As AI-driven search and answer engines increasingly shape discovery, credible third-party coverage has become a strategic export asset.

For food and agriculture organizations, PR now supports:

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  Human trust and reputation

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  Trade and partner confidence

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  Digital authority that travels across markets and AI-powered platforms

6 Seeds Consulting helps commodity boards and food brands translate these realities into PR, marketing, and research programs that build durable authority in South Korea—and beyond.