Homei: "We Will Become the Success Formula for K-Brand Expansion into Southeast Asia"

Next Elevation Startup Demo Day

"A bridge connecting K-brands and Southeast Asia, becoming the success formula for advancing into Southeast Asia."

Jo Dongseon, CEO of Homnai, is giving a presentation at the 'Next Elevation 2nd Demo Day' held on the 27th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung aymsdream@

On the 27th, Jo Dongseon, CEO of Homnai, expressed this ambition at the 'Checkpoint of Next Elevation' event hosted by startup accelerator Next Elevation at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Homnai is a B2B distribution platform providing onboarding solutions for entering Southeast Asian markets such as Vietnam and Singapore.

CEO Jo explained, "With the ongoing Korean Wave, the proportion of Korean products exported to Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, is increasing every year. Accordingly, many domestic companies have entered Southeast Asia but face issues such as incompatibility with local lifestyles or difficulty finding collaboration points." Homnai offers solutions to help Korean companies successfully enter, settle, and grow in Southeast Asia.

Homnai builds processes and provides step-by-step solutions for the successful entry of domestic companies into Southeast Asia. First, it recommends customized products based on local customer databases to reduce risks of entering the Southeast Asian market. Then, through its own community and collaborative stores, it exposes products to customers both online and offline. It also provides local legal support such as customs and tariffs, and distribution solutions for local settlement through brand franchising.

CEO Jo said, "By operating a K-product specialized B2B distribution platform, we provide purchasing convenience and strengthen competitiveness," adding, "Homnai is designing the fastest path to enter the Southeast Asian market." He further stated, "We will continuously expand distribution channels by simultaneously pursuing three strategies: diversification of distribution channels, diversification of product categories, and diversification of countries."

Homnai began its entry into Vietnam in April last year and is preparing to enter the Singapore market in September. It plans to expand throughout Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The product categories are also being expanded from K-infant and kids products to K-beauty, household goods, and health foods. They are also preparing to produce a Southeast Asia-exclusive private brand (PB).

Homnai’s 'K-Infant B2B Platform,' launched as a beta service last year, saw a 3000% increase in monthly sales within 10 months and secured 1,000 Vietnamese B2B customers. CEO Jo said, "By 2028, we expect to secure 10,000 distribution channels and achieve sales of 139 billion KRW," adding, "We aim to go public within five years and lead stable growth by expanding distribution networks across various product groups and countries."