K-Food Campus Festival held at Universitas Multimedia Nusantara in Gading Serpong, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia on October, 2018. (image: Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp.)
SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — The state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) reported on Thursday that K-food is gaining a reputation in Indonesia’s local food franchise and processed food markets.
An increasing number of local food producers are introducing new products that resemble K-food. The agency reported that Korean snacks, bread, topokki (spicy rice cake) and fish cakes are particularly popular among locals.
Indonesia mainly imports spicy noodles, dried seaweed, beverages, sauces, and seasonings from South Korea. These products are gaining massive popularity both offline and online.
Last April, McDonald’s Indonesia introduced ‘Spicy Rice Cake Chicken Rice’ and ‘Black Rice Cake McSpicy’ as pop-up menu options for a limited period.
In August, Siwon, a member of the K-Pop boy band Super Junior, was recruited as a model for a ramen brand in Indonesia.
“Korean food attracts consumers with unique taste and design,” said a local buyer.
KOTRA said that Indonesians prefer salty, sweet, spicy, and other sharp flavors due to a steamy climate and other sociocultural factors.
Indonesians also like snacks and refreshments, the agency said.
Indonesia, where more than 87 percent of the total population are Muslims, now requires all food companies to distinguish non-halal food through special labeling.
“We expect our trade relations with Indonesia to improve in the year 2020 with Indonesia-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement taking effect. We have to focus on the popularity of K-food in the local market,” said Kim Sang-muk, head of economic and commercial cooperation at KOTRA.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
