The 25th Daegu International Food Industry Exhibition (K-FOOD EXPO 2025), representing South Korea's food industry, will be held for four days from September 3 to 6 at EXCO in Daegu. This year's event is recognized as one of the top three food exhibitions in the country, and as the popularity of Korean food continues to grow in line with the recent K-Pop Demon Hunters phenomenon, interest from overseas buyers is rising significantly.
This exhibition features 225 companies and 426 booths, bringing together domestic and international participants and buyers to share in the excitement of K-Food. In particular, as global demand for popular Korean ready-to-eat foods such as tteokbokki and gim increases, leading local companies like Youngpoong and Samcheop Bunsik (CGF) are participating to seek new export opportunities.
This year, as the exhibition was selected for a national funding program, the number of participating buyers has increased, and participating companies are expected to see greatly expanded opportunities for global expansion.
The operation of unique joint pavilions is also drawing attention. The Daegu Chicken and Beer Industry Association, Dalbit Joint Pavilion, Dalseong Sanghoe, Small and Medium Business Food Tech Association, and international joint pavilions will be featured, offering a comprehensive look at diverse food industry trends in one place.
The exhibition covers agricultural, marine, livestock, and forestry products, processed foods, organic and health functional foods, alcoholic beverages and drinks, and desserts. This year, participation from food machinery companies has also increased significantly. In particular, companies such as Heinz, Seonkyung Industry, and Young Tech Pack are participating, expanding the exhibition to include packaging, processing machinery, and smart factory infrastructure for the food industry.
To help participating companies achieve tangible results, the event has significantly strengthened its export consultation and purchasing consultation programs. The export consultation program, which invites 66 overseas buyers, offers support for FDA and FSSC certification as well as logistics consulting. The domestic distribution (MD) purchasing consultation program will host buyers from more than 20 domestic distributors, including major supermarkets and online malls.
Son Taesik, Exhibition Hall 1 Director at EXCO, stated, "Nearly half of last year's participating companies proceeded to actual contracts or follow-up meetings after consultations," emphasizing that both the scale and quality of this year's event have been enhanced.
Inside the exhibition hall, the Smart Food Tech Pavilion, food automation equipment, and the AI-based production technology pavilion will showcase the latest trends in the food industry. In addition, seminars on school meal nutrition and FDA response strategies will provide a platform for collaboration among industry, academia, and government.
Visitor participation programs such as on-site tastings, stamp events, and receipt events will also be held, offering a rich experience not only for industry professionals but also for general attendees.
Jeon Chunwoo, CEO of EXCO, commented, "With the rising popularity of Korean culture, overseas demand for K-Food is surging. This year's exhibition will see the largest-ever participation of overseas buyers and trading companies, leading to tangible export results and expanded sales channels." He added, "We will do our best to establish Daegu as a global hub for the food industry, beyond Korea."
The exhibition is open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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