Assisting New Zealand food and beverage exporters to succeed in the Korean market
Premium New Zealand wine paired with cheese
Lights, Camera, Action! Over the past several months the Kiwi Chamber and North Asia Cape have spearheaded a video under the theme ‘Assisting New Zealand Food and Beverage Exporters to Succeed in the Korean Market.’ The Korean market presents numerous challenges, but also offers great expansion opportunities for Kiwi firms.
The first video – a three-minute clip focusing on SMEs which have successfully imported New Zealand F&B products – features valuable insight from Simon Walsh, Owner, Mozzie Wines; Stephen Blair, Trade Commissioner, South Korea, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE); Sunny Myung, President Tiwi Trade; Adrian Slater, General Manager, Grand Hyatt Seoul and Area Vice President Korea; and Dr. Tony Garrett, Chairman, The Kiwi Chamber. The video was shot at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, an excellent backdrop for New Zealand wine.
Please check out our video on our Kiwi Chamber YouTube site:
Key comments from the video on what it takes to succeed in the Korean are extracted below.
Simon Walsh, Owner, Mozzie Wines
“If you ask what Koreans think of New Zealand, the first thing they’ll say is clean, green and no people. As soon as they hear ‘New Zealand,’ they have that idea of clean products as well.”
“Wine is a key area where we have a strategic advantage. The consumers have discovered. there are very good wines out there. If I was a betting man, I would say that the only direction is growth.”
“We had to find a way to stand out from our competitors. We work really hard on the label design. Korea is a very package-focused country.”
Simon Walsh, Owner, Mozzie Wines.
Stephen Blair, Trade Commissioner, South Korea, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE)
“The Korean market is good for New Zealand exporters for a number of reasons. There is a very strong relationship between Korea and New Zealand, so now more than 80% of New Zealand goods and services exported to Korea are tariff free.”
“The environment here has more than 50 million consumers. They are very decerning and appreciate the products that New Zealand has to offer. Also, New Zealand’s food and beverage especially resonates with Korean consumers and is seen as safe, reliable, nutritious and sustainably grown.”
Stephen Blair, Trade Commissioner, South Korea, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE)
Sunny Myung, President, Tiwi Trade
“It’s been a very good year and sales are growing rapidly. In the last couple of years the sales of wine have gone up a lot. Wine is getting very popular and although normally Koreans drink beer, nowadays wine is number one.”
“To engage with Korean consumers and build consumer interest you need to connect with them on their terms. Korean consumers are well educated, and they are super conscious of their health and what ingredients are in there and how it’s made. When you make a product or brand or packaging, if you are concerned about those things make sure your packages communicate those values.”
Sunny Myung, President, Tiwi Trade
Adrian Slater, General Manager, Grand Hyatt Seoul and Area Vice President Korea
“I think there has been quite a dramatic change, certainly during Covid, where younger people have started to try different things. They’ve gone quite dramatically away from the traditional Korean diet to more of an international diet and I think that it is fueling the growth we are seeing in New Zealand products.”
“Korea is really exploding now in a positive way when it comes to food and beverage. They’re very much quality driven – knowing what they’re eating, knowing what they’re drinking, knowing what’s good for them and knowing what’s not good for them. New Zealand has such a great opportunity to leverage that.”
Adrian Slater, General Manager, Grand Hyatt Seoul and Area Vice President Korea
Dr. Tony Garrett, Chairman, The Kiwi Chamber
“They are willing to try new things. Korean consumers have a lot of choice so therefore they are very willing to look for those products which will offer them the best solution to their particular needs.”
“So, it’s a great opportunity for New Zealand, but you need to have a really good understanding of what you can offer your customers and you need to go out there and seek those consumers.”
“Never ignore Korea. I think for many years Korea has been ignored as a potential market. Korea can offer a lot. It’s a very sophisticated market.”
Dr. Tony Garrett, Chairman, The Kiwi Chamber
Korean consumers enjoying New Zealand wine
