Nongshim Establishes European Corporation in the Netherlands... "Aiming to Quadruple Sales by 2030"

Establishing a Sales Subsidiary in the Netherlands
Securing a Strategic Foothold for European Expansion

Nongshim is establishing a European subsidiary and building a business base to target the European market.

Previously, Nongshim ran Shin Ramyun advertisements on trams in downtown Amsterdam, Netherlands.
[Photo by Nongshim]

On the 17th, Nongshim announced that it will establish its European subsidiary, "Nongshim Europe B.V.," in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in March. The Netherlands, where Nongshim's European subsidiary will be located, has the Port of Rotterdam, the largest cargo port in Europe, and boasts excellent logistics infrastructure with superior rail and land transportation networks connected to the port, covering the entire European region.

Nongshim's move to establish a European subsidiary is due to the growth and diversity of the European market. The European ramen market was worth approximately 2 billion USD (about 2.89 trillion KRW) as of 2023, showing a steep growth with an average annual growth rate of 12% over the past five years (2019?2023).

During the same period, Nongshim's European sales also grew at an average annual rate of 25%, reflecting increased consumer interest and purchases. In particular, last year's sales grew by about 40% compared to the previous year, increasing the need to establish a subsidiary for aggressive market management. Additionally, the European ramen market has diverse taste demands, with different countries having different number one brands, which also served as a background for establishing the European subsidiary as a foundation for future aggressive sales activities.

A Nongshim official stated, "We analyze that Nongshim's product lineup, which includes not only spicy ramen such as Shin Ramyun and Shin Ramyun Tumbah but also various flavors, will be effective in targeting the European market," adding, "We aim to achieve sales of 300 million USD by 2030 through a two-track strategy of expanding the placement of key products and developing products tailored to local food cultures."

To target the European market, Nongshim plans to expand sales of key brands such as Shin Ramyun through major European distribution channels including Tesco (UK), Rewe (Germany), Albert Heijn (Netherlands), and Carrefour (France and across Europe). Furthermore, Nongshim will consider launching products tailored to consumer preferences in each country through discussions with large retailers and will also quickly introduce new products popular in Korea locally, reflecting the growing interest in K-food in Europe.

Meanwhile, to cope with increasing global demand, Nongshim will establish the "Noksan Export-Only Factory" in Busan. Starting from the second half of 2026, when the Noksan Export-Only Factory begins full operation, Nongshim will have the largest global supply capacity in Korea, capable of producing 2.7 billion units annually.