Nongshim announced on the 8th that it will establish a local sales subsidiary, “Nongshim Russia (Nongshim Rus LLC),” in Moscow, Russia this coming June. This move comes one year and three months after the company set up a European subsidiary in the Netherlands in March last year, and reflects its continued aggressive push to expand its global footprint.

The company explained that the new entity is intended to secure an early lead in Russia’s rapidly growing instant noodle market and, further, to establish a base for the Eurasian market encompassing the entire Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). According to global market research firm Euromonitor, the Russian instant noodle market is projected to grow at an annual rate in the 10% range through 2030, expanding to around USD 1.05 billion (approximately KRW 1.5 trillion).

This growth is largely driven by rising preference for Korean instant noodles amid the spread of Korean culture, including K-pop and dramas. In fact, Russia’s imports of Korean instant noodles reached USD 52 million last year, up 58% from the previous year. Nongshim plans to differentiate itself from the mid- to low-priced products (70–100 rubles, approximately KRW 1,300–1,900) that dominate the local market and actively target the premium segment (200 rubles and above).

Through the Russian subsidiary, the company will first target the western market, where more than 70% of Russia’s economic power is concentrated, and then expand into the central and Far East regions in cooperation with local companies. Specifically, it plans to increase product listings with major distributors (federal chains) such as X5 and Magnit, and to discover influential regional distribution networks to expand consumer touchpoints. In addition, Nongshim will establish official brand stores on major local e-commerce channels such as Ozon and Wildberries as a strategy to overcome the physical limitations of Russia’s vast territory.

Product supply will be handled by the Noksan export-only plant in Busan, scheduled for completion in the second half of this year. Nongshim intends to supply local favorites such as Shin Ramyun, Neoguri, and Kimchi Ramyun, as well as new products including Shin Ramyun Tumba and Shin Ramyun Kimchi Stir-fried Noodles, in a timely manner.

The company will also strengthen local consumer marketing. It plans to conduct on-site promotions such as pop-up stores linked to major festivals, and to enhance online-offline engagement through various channels including the local social media (SNS) platform VKontakte.

The Russian subsidiary is expected to serve as a hub for targeting the Central Asian market by expanding its sales network to key CIS countries such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Nongshim aims to achieve subsidiary revenue of USD 30 million by 2030. A Nongshim official said, “Russia is a strategic location connecting Europe and Asia, as well as an attractive market where instant noodle consumption is surging,” adding, “Through the Russian subsidiary, Nongshim will expand its territory not only in Russia but also across the CIS.”

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