Great American Craft Beer Showcase @ Seoul Int’l Wines & Spirits Expo 2018

In partnership with the Brewers Association (BA), ATO Seoul presented the ‘Great American Craft Beer Showcase’ booth at the Seoul International Wines & Spirits Expo 2018. A total of 21 American craft breweries participated in the booth, including 4 new-to-market breweries, offering an opportunity for the Korean craft beer trade and opinion leaders to experience the quality, value, and diversity of premium beer that the American craft beer industry has to offer. During two days of exhibition, over 1,000 target trade audience visited the booth. Additionally, the ‘Great American Craft Beer Seminar’ that BA presented during the show provided 50 attendees from the Korean beer and alcohol beverage industry with up-to-date information about the American craft beer industry trends and food-beer pairing ideas. Evaluation surveys indicated that the activity generated over 100 serious contacts with target Korean buyers and would bring over $100,000 of new sales of the participating American craft beers within the next 12 months. In addition, two of the new-to-market American craft breweries that participated are likely to develop Korean import distribution partners soon (launching export value estimated at $40,000).

Korean Seafood Trade Mission to Seafood Expo North America 2018 Leads to $9.3 million in Potential Export Sales

ATO Seoul recruited mission members and coordinated the visit of six Korean seafood importers to the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) held in Boston, MA, March 11-13, 2018. The program allowed the importers to meet suppliers of various American seafood products and to gain a better understanding of the U.S. seafood sector. According to the mission participants surveyed right after the activity, the trade mission resulted in $9.3 million of potential purchases from U.S. seafood suppliers over the next 12 months. In calendar year 2017, Korea imported $233 million of U.S. seafood, up 2.3 percent from $227 million in 2016.

Korean Processed Organic Food Buyers Delegation to Natural Product Expo West 2018, Anaheim, CA, March 7-12

ATO Seoul brought a delegation of thirteen Korean processed organic food buyers to the Natural Product Expo West (NPEW) 2018, March 7-12. The delegation was composed of buyers from both large-scale retail stores and independent import distributors. The activity allowed the buyers to generate face-to-face contacts with a large number of American suppliers of high-value processed organic food and beverage products on the show floor. In addition, ATO organized educational fieldtrips to local organic grocery stores and premium retail food outlets during the trip to expand the buyers’ understanding of the organic food supply chain and on-going product trends in the United States. A follow-up survey administered right after the trip revealed that the activity generated $250,000 of actual sales signed on the show floor and an estimated additional $4.28 million of potential new sales to American suppliers within the next 12 months.