Korean food makers have won in legal fights against Chinese counterfeiters in a series of lawsuits filed in China, according to the Korea Food Industry Association on Thursday. Of the total seven cases raised, the Chinese court recently ruled in favor of Korean firms in five cases at the first trial stage. Following the rulings, the Chinese companies in question are now required to pay compensation worth 250,000 yuan ($35,353) to CJ CheilJedang, 350,000 yuan to Samyang Food, and 200,000 yuan to

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Wednesday the European Union has decided to ease import regulations for Korean ramen products, 18 months after a mishap with a carcinogen in ramen imports sent to Europe. According to the ministry, the EU will be easing the inspection of ethylene oxide in imported Korean ramen products starting in July. EO, which is majorly used as a fumigant and sterilizing agent, is classified by the World Health Organization as a potential carcinogen. The EU strengt

The nation’s largest discount store chain E-mart, owned by retail giant Shinsegae Group, suffered dismal sales in the first quarter this year, outpaced by its smaller rival Coupang for the first time, with a gloomy outlook for the rest of the year, according to local brokerage firms Monday. In the first three months of the year, E-mart posted 13.7 billion won ($10.3 million) in operating profits, a 60.2 percent fall from a year ago. Net profit also plunged more than 90 percent to 2.7 billi

South Korean food and beverage manufacturer Dongsuh Foods announced Monday it will operate an Oreo pop-up store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, until June 18 to mark Oreo Day on May 25. Commemorating Oreo’s 111th anniversary since its launch in 1912, the pop-up store is designed to give consumers a different experience of the brand, celebrating the achievement of becoming the world's No. 1 cookie. The pop-up store consists of a total of three spaces: the Welcome Zone, the Connect Zone and the

South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang said Monday that it recently completed the construction of the world's largest pizza production plant in the US state of Kansas, in a bid to ramp up its competitiveness in the all-important market. According to CJ CheilJedang, the company recently added 40,000 square meters to its frozen pizza production facility in Salina, Kansas. With the expansion, the plant now stands on 90,000 square meters of land, marking it the largest frozen pizza production p

K-food's popularity, healthiness give Ourhome competitive edge in overseas markets, US business chief says

The Formna, a South Korean online retailer, announced Thursday it is launching the 2023 BTS Permission to Dance Spring Sandals in July through an official licensing agreement with Hybe, the K-pop agency behind the global sensation. According to the Formna, the BTS-themed sandals, in both black and white versions, will be produced in collaboration with Noitavonni, a Korean shoemaker specializing in health care shoes. The company’s air cushion patents have gained approval from the US Food an

Prices of popular eating out options at restaurants continued to increase in April, adding more pressure to people’s consumption, a state-led agency’s data showed Wednesday. According to the Korea Consumer Agency data, the average price of a bowl of jajangmyeon, or noodles in black bean sauce, in Seoul increased by 12.5 percent on-year to 6,915 won ($5.20), up from 6,146 won a year ago. The average price of a bowl of samgyetang -- ginseng chicken soup that is popular during the summe

South Korean food giant Nongshim saw its profits nearly double in the first quarter, primarily led by its booming business in the US, the company's earnings report said Tuesday. According to Nongshim's regulatory filing, the company's sales and operating profits during the January to March period were tallied at 860.4 billion won ($643 million) and 63.8 billion won, respectively, on a consolidated basis. Compared to the same period last year, Nongshim's sales have increased b

South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang said Monday it will start selling Korean street food products in major overseas markets, such as North America and Europe, riding a wave of momentum from the booming "K-food" business. The conglomerate will launch six "strategy" Korean street food products in the overseas market under its brand Bibigo. The new products include tteokbokki, Korean-style hot dogs, gimbap, fried seaweed rolls, bungeoppang (fish-shaped waffle filled with red

South Korean food giant Pulmuone said Sunday it is planning on expanding the production line of its Asian noodle products in the United States by the end of this year, following its burgeoning Asian noodle business there. According to Pulmuone, the company said its sales of Asian noodles in the US were tallied at $72.2 million last year, seeing an on-year growth of 65 percent. Over the course of the last three years, the company's Asian noodle products in the US had seen a 119 percent growt

Kim Dong-sun set to nurture his own retail empire, with his father’s succession scheme taking shape

South Korean e-commerce firm Coupang is catching up with Shinsegae, one of the country's largest and oldest retail players, by closing the sales gap to less than 10 billion won ($7.5 million) from 1 trillion won a year ago, according to their earnings reports Friday. The 13-year-old e-commerce operator's increasing number of paid subscribers is the main driver behind its improved performance, posing threats to conventional retail brands like Shinsegae. According to Coupang's lates

South Korea’s CJ Logistics said Thursday that the company will invest around 60 billion won ($45.4 million) to establish a global distribution center in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East's rising logistics powerhouse. The distribution center will be located in Riyadh’s Special Integrated Logistics Zone, a special economic zone, through which the Saudi Arabian government aims to boost the country’s supply chains. The facility will be built on 18,000 square meters of land within

Starbucks Korea is putting off its summer promotional event for 2023 in order to carry out tougher product inspection in the aftermath of the massive recall of a promotional product that contained toxic, carcinogenic chemicals last year. The seasonal promotional event, called the “e-frequency” reward program, has been taking place biannually in South Korea, offering limited-edition goods to its loyal customers since 2013. The coffee chain typically announces the launch of the summer