U.S. Food Products Showcased at Seoul Food & Hotel Show 2017, KINTEX, May 16-19, 2017

About 50 American companies and trade associations comprising the largest pavilion within the International Hall represented a wide range of products in Korea’s biggest international food and agriculture show, Seoul Food & Hotel 2017. It is clear that renewed enthusiasm for agricultural trade between the United States and Korea is due in large part to the Korea--U.S. Free Trade agreement (KORUS FTA) implemented on March 15, 2012. In its fifth year of implementation, KORUS FTA has eliminated or reduced duties on many American food products leading to U.S. exports of high-value, consumer oriented products to Korea reaching a record $3.7 billion. U.S. exhibitors represented a wide array of products including snack foods, beverage products, dairy products, organic foods, cooking oils, sauces, and desserts. About half of the exhibitors responded to ATO’s survey and they reported making many quality contacts and on-site sales of $6.1 million and a preliminary estimate of expected sales during the next 12 months totaling $31.2 million. For more information on export opportunities to our 5th largest market under KORUS FTA please visit ATO Seoul Home Page (KORUS FTA).

2017 Ethanol Workshop, May 16, 2017

On Tuesday, May 16, U.S. Embassy Seoul’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), in conjunction with the U.S. Grains Council, hosted in Seoul the 2017 Workshop and Roundtable on the Benefits of Bioethanol, a day-long series of presentations and in-depth discussions on the current economics of global ethanol production and trade, the environmental benefits of including ethanol in transportation fuel, and research updates into the latest technology related to ethanol production from grains, biomass, and agricultural and forestry waste products. Presenters from Korea and the Philippines also provided information on biofuel policy in their home countries. This year’s workshop, the 2nd annual, focused heavily on the environmental benefits of ethanol as a transportation fuel component, including benefits for water and especially urban air quality. For more information, please review the speakers’ presentations. The U.S. Grains Council published additional information about the workshop, including a similar activity held in Vietnam. Please visit USGC’s coverage of these events to learn more.

Great American Craft Beer Showcase @ Seoul Int’l Wines & Spirits Expo 2017, April 27-29, COEX Seoul

In partnership with the Brewers Association (BA), Potatoes USA, and the California Walnut Council (CWC), ATO Seoul presented the ‘Great American Craft Beer Showcase’ booth at the Seoul International Wines & Spirits Expo 2017. A total of 15 American craft breweries participated in the booth, including 3 new-to-market breweries, offering an opportunity for the Korean craft beer trade to experience the quality, value, and diversity of premium beer that the American craft beer industry has to offer. Potatoes USA and CWC joined the exhibition and provided the visitors with unique finger food items that they developed for food-craft beer pairing experiences. During two days of exhibition, over 1,000 of the 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 in-depth information about the American craft beer industry. An evaluation survey indicated that the activity generated over 150 serious contacts with target Korean buyers and estimated over $100,000 in new sales within the next 12 months of the featured American craft beers. In addition, two of the new-to-market American craft breweries that participated are likely to develop Korean import distribution partners soon (estimated export value of $40,000).