Last Year’s South Korea Frozen Dumplings Exports Hit Record High... "Global Popularity in US, Japan, and More"

Display of Bibigo dumplings at Costco in the United States

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Last year, due to the impact of COVID-19, overseas demand for convenience foods surged, leading to a record high in South Korea's frozen dumpling exports. The popularity of Korean dumplings is rising in the global market.

According to the 'Promising Items AI Report - Frozen Dumplings' released on the 3rd by the Korea International Trade Association's International Trade and Commerce Research Institute, the export volume of frozen dumplings last year was $50.89 million, a 46.2% increase compared to the previous year. Frozen dumpling exports have grown at an average annual rate of 23.4% from 2016 to last year.

Based on an evaluation by artificial intelligence (AI) that integrated nine key indicators including GDP, population, and import growth rate for 58 countries, the market with the highest export potential for Korean frozen dumplings was identified as the United States (76.6 points), followed by Japan (76.0 points) and Germany (76.0 points).

The United States is South Korea's largest export market for frozen dumplings. Last year, frozen dumplings worth $11.74 million were shipped to the U.S., a 49.6% increase from the previous year. Recently, major dumpling exporters such as Shinsegae Food and CJ CheilJedang have been intensifying their efforts to capture the U.S. market by expanding local factories, increasing collaboration with local distributors, and launching products tailored to local tastes, such as mini wontons. As a result, Korea's share in the U.S. frozen dumpling import market rose from 1.6% in 2019 to 2.7% in 2020, surpassing China (ranked 6th) to become the 4th largest importer.

Japan ranks second as an export destination for Korean frozen dumplings, recording exports worth $8.95 million last year, a 65.0% increase from the previous year. In the Japanese frozen dumpling market, Korea's share was only 4.5% in 2016 but nearly quadrupled to 17.3% last year. During the same period, China's share, a competitor, decreased from 50.2% to 35.8%, significantly narrowing the gap between Korea and China. Additionally, exports of frozen dumplings have greatly increased to ASEAN countries such as the Philippines (export growth rate 83.7%), Vietnam (75.5%), and Singapore (67.2%).

Shim Hyejeong, senior researcher at the Korea International Trade Association, said, "Korean-style dumplings have thin skins and can be cooked in various ways such as steaming, in soup, or frying. They also have low carbohydrate content and fillings rich in protein and vegetables, making them popular as a 'well-being food.'" She added, "Continuous growth in exports of Korean frozen dumplings is expected."