Amid the global popularity of K-content, K-food is captivating taste buds worldwide, with Korea's native breed 'Hanwoo' rapidly expanding its presence as a premium national food representative. It has been a decade since Hanwoo embarked on its journey to international tables following its first export to Hong Kong in December 2015.

The starting point for Hanwoo exports is Hong Kong. Since the first export in December 2015, the National Hanwoo Association has solidified premium branding in Hong Kong as a 'strategic stronghold' over the past ten years. The long-term branding efforts linked to K-culture have become the foundational strength for global expansion. The Hanwoo Association is pursuing a strategy to strengthen connections with K-food culinary experiences, tourism, and the content industry, using Hong Kong as a base.

The assets accumulated in Hong Kong have become a stepping stone for pioneering emerging markets in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The first export to Laos, achieved in July this year, is considered a model case of market development led by the private sector. It complements the areas that can be slow with government negotiations with the agility of the private sector.

The Hanwoo Association has conducted local activities such as spreading breeding management technology, consulting, and pre-launch events, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Laos Agriculture Business Association (LABA) to establish a foundation for livestock technology exchange. This has implemented a win-win export expansion model that goes beyond expanding export countries to creating a sustainable high-quality livestock foundation together.

The expansion into the Singapore and United Arab Emirates (UAE) markets is also seen as a significant opportunity. Singapore, a key hub of the Asian premium dining market, and the UAE, a gateway to the 1.9 billion halal market and a high-income country, are battlegrounds where the world's top-grade meats, such as Japanese Wagyu, compete. A Hanwoo Association official explained, "The Middle East regions such as Saudi Arabia and Dubai, which are growing rapidly, have a high affinity for Korean culture due to the spread of K-content, making them markets with great growth potential," adding, "There is a high possibility that Hanwoo's brand competitiveness will be effective, especially in premium restaurants."

Since last year, the National Hanwoo Association has been conducting advanced marketing that combines Hanwoo with K-culture. They believe that when the K-food culinary experience centered on Hanwoo is linked with tourism and the content industry, the sustainability of exports can be ensured. Accordingly, with the robust support of the Hanwoo Check-off Fund, which is funded by Hanwoo farmers, a long-term strategy is being implemented to expand Hanwoo as a part of Korean culture and redesign the value chain in the global market.

Notably, the National Hanwoo Association was selected as a 'Fresh Agricultural Products Integrated Organization' by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) this year. This signifies the launch of an export-specialized integrated marketing organization that manages everything from producers to export companies and overseas local marketing. The National Hanwoo Association plans to leverage aT's export support projects and the resources of the Hanwoo Check-off Fund to promote Hanwoo's unique genetic resources, ethical production, and transparent traceability system as strengths to advance into the European market.

Min Kyung-cheon, Chairman of the National Hanwoo Association (Hanwoo Check-off Management Committee), stated, "We will expand practical support so that domestic exporters can develop more overseas sales channels and strengthen the role of an integrated export control tower to reduce field confusion." He also emphasized, "We will make every effort to establish Hanwoo as the vanguard and representative brand of K-food that promotes Korea's unique cultural heritage to the world."

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