Korea’s K-food pavilion draws strong buyer attention at Gulfood

The Korea Pavilion at Gulfood 2026 in Dubai attracted significant attention from regional and international buyers, highlighting the strong market appetite for high-quality Korean food and beverages. This year, Gulfood was held across two venues, Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai, reflecting the event’s expanded global scale.

Organised with the participation of 24 Korean exporters and producer groups, the Korea Pavilion presented a well-curated line-up of K-food categories tailored to the Middle East and wider Mena market. Showcased items ranged from instant noodles, snacks, sauces and beverages to fresh fruits such as strawberries and grapes — products that increasingly resonate with buyers seeking quality, consistency, and trend-forward flavours.

To strengthen buyer engagement, the pavilion operated an on-site cooking and tasting programme that enabled visitors to experience K-food beyond packaging and product sheets. Live demonstrations featured eight menu items including grilled halal-certified Hanwoo, bulgogi, kimchi pancake, tteokbokki, stir-fried noodles, and fresh fruit tastings. The sessions helped buyers evaluate taste profiles, cooking applications, and premium positioning in a real-world context.

Buyers visiting the pavilion noted that hands-on sampling made product assessment more efficient. “Seeing a wide range of Korean products in one place and tasting them helped us understand both flavour and product quality,” said Nikhil Janardhanan, Managing Director of Le Uni Global FoodStuff, adding that internal reviews were under way for selected items.

Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) and its affiliated agency, aT Center (Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation), emphasised that the UAE’s role as a high-import market and a regional re-export hub makes Dubai an essential gateway for Korean food brands. The Korea Pavilion’s performance at Gulfood 2026 demonstrates growing momentum for K-food in the region, supported by product quality, halal-ready offerings, and consumer-driven innovation.