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Food and beauty companies invest in Europe amid K-culture wave and U.S. tariffs

Published: 10 Oct. 2025, 16:15 Updated: 11 Oct. 2025, 00:04

Ramyeon designed with characters from the hit Neflix animated film ″KPop Demon Hunters″ is displayed at a supermarket in Jung District, central Seoul on Sept. 22. [YONHAP]

Korean food and cosmetics makers are accelerating their push into Europe as the K-culture wave fuels demand for instant noodles, dumplings and beauty products across the continent.

Major Korean conglomerates are establishing European subsidiaries and production facilities to meet rising local demand, according to each firm.

CJ CheilJedang is investing 100 billion won ($70 million) to build a Bibigo dumpling factory in Dunavarsány, near Budapest. The facility — spanning 115,000 square meters (137,540 square yards), roughly the size of 16 football fields — will begin producing dumplings in the second half of 2026 to supply to markets across Europe.

Nongshim established a European subsidiary in Amsterdam in March, following Buldak Ramen maker Samyang Foods, which opened its own branch in the Netherlands in July last year.

Visitors crowd around Genesis BBQ's booth at Anuga 2025, a food and beverage trade fair, held in Cologne, Germany, starting Oct. 4. [GENESIS BBQ]

The Netherlands imported the largest amount of Korean agri-food products among European Union countries in 2024, totaling $236 million, a 34.8 percent increase from the previous year's $175 million, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Germany and Britain also recorded sharp growth. Germany imported $120 million worth of Korean products, up 29.1 percent from the previous year, and Britain imported $110 million, up 25.1 percent — with both surpassing the $100 million mark for the first time.

Once considered a difficult market for Asian foods, Europe’s high-end consumer landscape is shifting, with culturally open markets like the Netherlands and Britain leading the way.

Demand for Korean instant meals such as ramyeon and dumplings is surging, alongside interest in healthy foods like kimchi. Riding this wave, CJ CheilJedang, Nongshim and Daesang all reported more than 20 percent growth in European sales compared to a year earlier.

Visitors browse exhibition and experience booths at the 2025 My KFesta at the Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Songpa District, southern Seoul on June 19. [NEWS1]

The Korean beauty sector is also expanding its presence in Europe following its success in the United States.

Amorepacific’s Mamonde brand recently entered eight European countries through a partnership with Lyko, the largest beauty retailer in the Nordics, launching both online and offline sales. Meanwhile, color cosmetics brand Clio is strengthening its distribution network in Italy.

Korea’s cosmetics exports in the first half of 2025 totaled $5.5 billion, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. China remained the top market with $1.08 billion in imports, but Poland posted the fastest growth at 133.8 percent year-on-year to $145 million, while France surged 116.1 percent to $67 million. Poland became the first European country to rank among the top 10 destinations for Korean beauty exports.

“Facing U.S. tariffs, Korean consumer goods companies are turning their attention to Europe,” said Hwang Yong-sik, a professor of business administration at Sejong University. “If this trend aligns with the ongoing K-culture boom in Europe, demand for Korean products will only continue to grow.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KANG KI-HEON [[email protected]]