Korea Expands Food Push Into Laos

Major officials from South Korea and Laos attending 'K-Lifestyle in Vientiane' are taking a group commemorative photo. (Provided by KOTRA) The popularity of Korean food in Laos, which began with spicy ramyeon and tteokbokki, is rapidly spreading to health functional foods, beverages and organic foods. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, hereafter KOTRA, jointly held the “2026 Laos Agri-Food Export Delegation” and “K-Lifestyle in Vientiane” in Vientiane, Laos, from Oct. 22 to 24. A total of 35 domestic agri-food companies showcased more than 80 products at the event, while also conducting one-on-one export consultations with local buyers and promotional activities for consumers. Laos is drawing attention as a promising market for diversifying export destinations for Korean agri-food products. According to United Nations statistics, South Korea’s exports to Laos in 2025 reached $7.16 million in processed grain products and confectionery and bakery products, and $4.00 million in grains. According to the Lao state news agency, about 7,300 people attended a Korean food promotional event held in Vientiane in October last year, where Korean beef and tteokbokki were among the most popular items. The ministry and KOTRA designated Laos as an emerging strategic country for Korean agri-food exports in 2025 and have since provided linked support ranging from entry into local distribution networks to export consultations and sales promotions. At an agri-food export delegation sent in September last year, nine domestic companies and 22 local companies took part in a total of 62 export consultations worth $1.62 million. About 3,000 people visited a promotional event held over two days at the local hypermarket Kokkok Megamart. This year, building on the local business partnerships and promotional experience established last year, the organizations further expanded local distribution channels and consumer touchpoints. In particular, three partner local companies made initial imports of more than 80 products from 35 Korean agri-food companies and directly carried out sales promotions. The approach goes beyond simple importing, linking imports and distribution directly to consumer sales through locally focused marketing. The range of promotional items was also significantly broadened. Reflecting local demand, the lineup included red ginseng and gastrodia elata processed foods, health management products such as vitamins and collagen, convenience foods including cup tteokbokki, ramyeon and bibimbap, matcha, kombucha and fruit beverages, as well as protein snacks and organic infant and toddler foods. In particular, health functional foods, represented by 15 companies, and convenience foods, represented by eight companies, accounted for about 66% of all participating companies. As the first event in the full program, a business-to-business export consultation meeting held at the Holiday Inn Vientiane hotel on Oct. 22 brought together three domestic companies and 14 major Lao companies, resulting in 20 export consultations worth $1.15 million. From Oct. 23, a two-day “K-Lifestyle in Vientiane” event was held at Parkson Mall, a large shopping mall in Vientiane. Three local partner companies displayed and sold Korean agri-food products they had directly imported, testing consumer preferences and marketability. More than 10,000 people visited the venue during the event period, and on-site sales reached $5,164. Based on its promotional event experience at Kokkok Megamart in 2025 and Parkson Mall in 2026, KOTRA plans to further develop “K-Lifestyle in Vientiane” in 2027. Park Joon-kyu, head of KOTRA’s Vientiane Trade Office, said, “If last year we confirmed the market entry potential of Korean agri-food products and built cooperative relationships with local companies, this year we opened the way for expanded distribution by linking direct imports with consumer promotions,” adding, “We will develop ‘K-Lifestyle in Vientiane’ into a flagship promotional event that supports the continued local expansion of Korean agri-food products and consumer goods.”