Exports of Korean instant noodles surge! Soared by 52.3 billion yuan in the first 10 months and will increase by another 30% in 2027

Korean instant noodle exports continue to sweep the world. As overseas demand rises and major players accelerate the expansion of production bases, export growth momentum is expected to further expand. Industry insiders revealed that driven by the expansion of production capacity, Korean instant noodles exports are expected to grow by 30% by 2027 compared with the previous year, and the global market demand for Korean instant noodles continues to heat up.

Korean media reported that according to data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources of South Korea and other institutions, from January to October this year, South Korea’s instant noodle exports reached US$1.59 billion (approximately NT$52.311 billion), an annual increase of 26%. Not only did it exceed last year’s 22% growth rate, but the total export volume was also higher than last year’s US$1.52 billion (approximately NT$50.008 billion), showing that the sales of Korean instant noodles continue to expand in the international market.

An industry insider said that investment in production facilities by major instant noodle manufacturers is expected to continue next year, further promoting export growth, and capacity expansion will become an important boost for Korean instant noodles to enter overseas markets.

South Korea's instant noodle leader Nongshim opened its first factory in Busan last month specifically to supply the export market. About 40% of the company's instant noodle sales currently come from overseas markets, mainly including the United States, China and Japan.

Nongshim has 7 factories in South Korea and 6 overseas, including 2 in the United States and 4 in China. Its main products such as Shin Ramyun, Jajangmyeon and Raccoon Ramen (Neoguri) continue to be sold to the global market.

Another company, Samyang Foods, which is famous for its globally popular turkey noodles, has also accelerated its expansion of production capacity to cope with the market demand brought about by the rising popularity of Korean food.

Samyang Foods’ sales from January to September this year reached 2.28 trillion won (approximately NT$57 billion), which is close to last year’s full-year performance of 2.35 trillion won (approximately NT$58.75 billion). In order to further expand overseas supply capabilities, the company started construction of its first overseas production base in China in July last year and is expected to be put into operation in January 2027.

In addition, Samyang Foods announced on Wednesday that it plans to invest 218.6 billion won to build a second overseas factory in Vietnam, which is expected to be completed in 2029. It will continue to expand its production layout through overseas factories.

Overall, South Korea's food exports also maintained growth. Data show that in the first 10 months of this year, South Korea's exports of agricultural products, fisheries and food totaled US$10.85 billion (approximately NT$356.965 billion), an annual increase of 6.1%. Among them, the export of instant noodles performed particularly well. As major players continue to expand production, the future growth momentum of overseas markets has attracted much attention.