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Ramen
$1.73B +19.7%
China $454M · United States $357M · Netherlands $112M
K-FOOD EXPORTS · KOREA CUSTOMS, MONTHLY
Where Korean food sells, the US first
Ramen, dumplings, snacks, sauces, beverages, alcoholic drinks and laver, exported from Korea to 24 markets, collected every month. Where exports grow fast, Korean food companies look first for production, quality and overseas sales people.
UNITED STATES · LAST 12 MONTHS
$805M
+10.2% on the 12 months before · market no. 2 of 24
| Product line | Last 12 months | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ramen | $357M | 44% |
| Snacks and bread | $165M | 21% |
| Sauces and pastes | $94M | 12% |
| Beverages | $94M | 12% |
| Alcoholic drinks | $50M | 6% |
| Laver (gim) and seaweed | $23M | 3% |
| Dumplings | $21M | 3% |
SEVEN LINES, 24 MARKETS · LAST 12 MONTHS
$3.91B
+6.1% on the 12 months before
Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · compared with Oct 2024 – Sep 2025 · FOB US dollars · Source: Korea Customs Service exports by item and country (public data portal)
The markets that buy the most
The ten largest of the 24 markets, the change on the 12 months before and the largest product line in each.
| Market | Last 12 months | Change | Largest line |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | $911M | +4.9% | Ramen |
| United States | $805M | +10.2% | Ramen |
| Japan | $343M | −13.1% | Laver (gim) and seaweed |
| Russia | $200M | +10.0% | Laver (gim) and seaweed |
| Thailand | $161M | +2.7% | Laver (gim) and seaweed |
| Vietnam | $157M | +0.0% | Beverages |
| Netherlands | $150M | +18.1% | Ramen |
| Philippines | $142M | +13.4% | Ramen |
| Taiwan | $129M | −5.7% | Ramen |
| Canada | $112M | +16.5% | Ramen |
By product line
Exports in the last 12 months, the change on the 12 months before and the markets that buy each line most.
Beverages
$572M −5.0%
China $204M · United States $94M · Vietnam $57M
Laver (gim) and seaweed
$506M −6.9%
Japan $125M · Thailand $88M · China $88M
Snacks and bread
$467M +5.1%
United States $165M · China $74M · Canada $27M
Sauces and pastes
$398M +0.6%
United States $94M · China $57M · Japan $36M
Alcoholic drinks
$174M −10.6%
United States $50M · Japan $34M · China $34M
Dumplings
$65M +6.7%
United States $21M · Germany $13M · United Kingdom $5M
Reading it as people
When exports grow, plants grow; when plants grow, companies need people.
Frequently asked questions
How large are K-food exports?
Exports of ramen, dumplings, snacks and bread, sauces and pastes, beverages, alcoholic drinks and laver to 24 markets were $3.91B in Oct 2025 – Sep 2026, +6.1% on the 12 months before.
How much Korean food does the US buy?
$805M in the last 12 months (+10.2%), market no. 2 of 24. The largest lines are ramen ($357M), snacks and bread ($165M), sauces and pastes ($94M).
Which product line is largest, and which grows fastest?
The largest is Ramen at $1.73B. The fastest growing is Ramen, +19.7%.
Which countries buy the most Korean food?
China ($911M, +4.9%), then United States, Japan, Russia.
Where do these numbers come from?
Monthly export values (FOB US dollars) from the Korea Customs Service's exports by item and country on Korea's public data portal, collected every month. They cover 24 major markets, so they are below the total for all countries.