ATO Seoul Hosts Virtual Great American Culinary Camp 2021

The Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) Seoul held the 2021 Great American Culinary Camp on October 5-8. The event was partially held online due to COVID-19. ATO Seoul partnered with five Korean chefs who have graduated from the Culinary Institute of America to develop 15 new recipes and menus featuring U.S. ingredients. ATO invited fifty social media influencers, food service industry leaders and food reporters to a series of launching events to maximize impact. A YouTube channel was created to showcase a series of professional videos introducing the new recipes and U.S. ingredients and a virtual guidebook was created to share the recipes. ATO partnered with cooperators and the Texas Department of Agriculture on the event to promote their products in Korea’s dynamic restaurant sector. The cooperator partners were: Almond Board of California, California Milk Advisory Board, California Walnut Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, Raisin Administrative Committee, Sunkist, U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, and U.S. Meat Export Federation.

ATO Seoul Organizes U.S. Pavilion at Seoul Food & Hotel Show 2021, KINTEX, July 27-30, 2021

Thirty-two U.S. companies and trade associations joined ATO Seoul at the U.S. Pavilion to exhibit a wide range of high-quality food and agricultural products at the Seoul Food &Hotel 2021. Products exhibited included berries, fruits, snack foods, beverage products, dairy products, ingredients, sauces, and desserts. The U.S. Pavilion was the largest international pavilion at the show.

Strong economic and cultural ties, combined with the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA), make Korea an excellent market for U.S. products. The KORUS FTA has eliminated tariffs on over two-thirds of U.S. food and agricultural products. In 2020 U.S. agricultural exports to Korea exceeded $7.7 billion, including over $4.5 billion in high value consumer-oriented products.

Great American Craft Beer Showcase @ KIBEX 2021, May 17-19, 2021

ATO Seoul in a partnership with the Brewers Association (BA) organized 'Great American Craft Beer Showcase' at the Korea International Beer Expo (KIBEX) 2021, May 17-19.  A total of 33 U.S. craft breweries from 13 different states participated in the activity, showcasing the quality, value, and diversity that the U.S. craft beer industry has to offer to the Korean beer trade and consumers.  Nine of the breweries had no Korean importer partners and looked for new export opportunities in the activity.  No brewery representatives were able to travel to the program due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions.  As a result, ATO Seoul represented the nine breweries in the activity, meeting with potential Korean importers and pouring samples to consumer visitors on behalf of the breweries.  The remaining 24 breweries were represented by their Korean importer partners in the activity.  About 300 Korean beer buyers and industry professionals visited the activity.  Additionally, ATO Seoul identified 20 Korean importers during the activity who expressed serious interest in importing new U.S. craft beer.  ATO Seoul's evaluation of the trade leads suggests that five of the nine new-to-market breweries participated in the activity will develop Korean importer contracts within the next 12 months.