Seoul Int’l Wine & Spirits Expo, May 3-5, 2012

New American Wine Showcase hosted by ATO Seoul during the Seoul Int’l Wine & Spirits Expo 2012, introduced 26 new-to-market wines from various regions of the United States (California, Washington, and Virginia) to a large number of Korean wine traders and consumers. In conjunction with the Expo, ATO Seoul hosted a “New American Wine Trends” seminar which was attended by 35 local wine opinion leaders and journalists, and highlighted the quality, value, and diversity of American wines. In 2011, U.S. wine exports to Korea totaled $12.3 million. To learn more about the Korean wine market please read Korea Wine Market Brief.

Florida Grapefruit Shine Bright in Hyundai Department Store

Florida grapefruit were on bright display at up-scale Hyundai Department store in western Seoul, April 24. Mr. Michael Ryshouwer, Marketing Representative for Florida Department of Agriculture visited Seoul to promote Florida grapefruit as part of a healthy diet. Korea’s health and beauty conscious population is attracted to low calorie, high vitamin C, Florida grapefruit for its purported health benefits, including cold prevention and ability to combat fatigue. Korean imports of grapefruit from the United States were valued at $10.5 million, in 2011, up 23 percent from 2010 and the United States enjoyed a 92 percent market share. For more information on the Korean market for grapefruit and other products please see FTA Product Briefs.

Nebraska Ag Department Visits Korea to Highlight FTA Opportunities

Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach led a delegation of industry leaders on a visit to Korea to highlight new export opportunities for Nebraskan beef, pork and wheat resulting from implementation of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. As the first stop on their visit, FAS/Seoul along with locally-based cooperators briefed the delegation on the current market situation. The Nebraska team also attended a blogger event at the trendy restaurant Eatry. Organized by USMEF, the cooking event demonstrated three fine dining beef dishes; braised short rib, beef Carpaccio, and dry-aged New York steak. During the demonstration, the chef explained why he prefers to use U.S. beef as well as the superiority of U.S. beef. The team also met with local meat and grain industry representatives, and toured meat processing facilities.