Korea's food market expands at a projected 9.0 percent CAGR. Exports of food and beverages total KRW 17.3 trillion. Per capita consumer spending stands at KRW 6.1 million.
Key Takeaways
- 9.0% CAGR projected for the Korean food market over 2023–2030, indicating sustained growth in demand and consumption of food products in Korea
- KRW 17.3 trillion in Korean food and beverage exports in 2023, indicating the international reach of Korean processed food and beverages
- Korea’s foodservice market grew 5.2% in 2023, indicating continued expansion in dine-in and delivery demand
- 1,032,000 tons of food waste generated in Korea in 2022, quantifying the size of waste streams targeted by policy and industry
- KRW 8.3 trillion annual spending on food safety and inspection in Korea in 2021, measuring investment in public health protection
- Korea’s food traceability system coverage reached 85% of major food processing facilities in 2023, improving end-to-end tracking
- 65% of Korean restaurants reported using QR code ordering for menus in 2023, reflecting contactless and digital ordering adoption
- 49% of Korean consumers reported buying health-functional foods in the past 12 months in 2023, capturing mainstream demand for functional nutrition
- Korean consumers spent 27.4% of their food budget on dining out in 2023, reflecting preference for restaurant meals
- Korea’s consumer food expenditure per capita was KRW 6.1 million in 2023, indicating individual-level spending on food and beverages
- Korea’s food import dependency for major staples (e.g., soybeans) is above 70% by volume, showing structural exposure to global commodity prices
- KRW 34.2 trillion purchase value for Korean food ingredients imported under customs in 2023, measuring the broad scale of input flows
- Korea’s food inflation averaged 3.6% in 2023, quantifying macro impact on retail and restaurant pricing
- Palm oil procurement costs in Korea increased 15% in 2022 vs 2021, highlighting commodity-driven cost volatility
- 1.6% GDP contribution from the food and beverage sector in Korea in 2022, quantifying macroeconomic importance
Korea’s food sector is rapidly growing, with expanding exports and modern demand despite rising costs and waste.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size2 stats
01
9.0% CAGR projected for the Korean food market over 2023–2030, indicating sustained growth in demand and consumption of food products in Korea
02
KRW 17.3 trillion in Korean food and beverage exports in 2023, indicating the international reach of Korean processed food and beverages
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
With the Korean food market projected to grow at a 9.0% CAGR from 2023 to 2030 alongside KRW 17.3 trillion in food and beverage exports in 2023, the market size picture shows both strong domestic momentum and expanding global demand.
02 · Category
Industry Trends1 stats
01
Korea’s foodservice market grew 5.2% in 2023, indicating continued expansion in dine-in and delivery demand
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In line with the Industry Trends focus, Korea’s foodservice market grew 5.2% in 2023, signaling sustained momentum behind rising dine-in and delivery demand.
03 · Category
Sustainability & Compliance2 stats
01
1,032,000 tons of food waste generated in Korea in 2022, quantifying the size of waste streams targeted by policy and industry
02
KRW 8.3 trillion annual spending on food safety and inspection in Korea in 2021, measuring investment in public health protection
Interpretation
Sustainability & Compliance Interpretation
With Korea generating 1,032,000 tons of food waste in 2022 while spending KRW 8.3 trillion annually on food safety and inspection in 2021, the sustainability and compliance picture shows how tightly waste reduction and public health enforcement are being pursued through large scale, data backed investment.
04 · Category
Technology & Operations2 stats
01
Korea’s food traceability system coverage reached 85% of major food processing facilities in 2023, improving end-to-end tracking
02
65% of Korean restaurants reported using QR code ordering for menus in 2023, reflecting contactless and digital ordering adoption
Interpretation
Technology & Operations Interpretation
In Korea’s Technology & Operations landscape, food traceability expanded to 85% of major processing facilities in 2023 while QR code ordering adoption hit 65% of restaurants, signaling fast, practical digitization of both upstream tracking and day-to-day restaurant workflows.
More related reading
05 · Category
User Behavior4 stats
01
49% of Korean consumers reported buying health-functional foods in the past 12 months in 2023, capturing mainstream demand for functional nutrition
02
Korean consumers spent 27.4% of their food budget on dining out in 2023, reflecting preference for restaurant meals
03
Korea’s consumer food expenditure per capita was KRW 6.1 million in 2023, indicating individual-level spending on food and beverages
04
82% of Korean consumers reported eating kimchi at least weekly in 2022, evidencing strong habitual consumption of a core fermented food
Interpretation
User Behavior Interpretation
In Korea, user behavior is clearly health and convenience driven, with 49% of consumers buying health-functional foods and 27.4% of the food budget spent on dining out in 2023, while 82% eat kimchi at least weekly in 2022.
06 · Category
Supply Chain1 stats
01
Korea’s food import dependency for major staples (e.g., soybeans) is above 70% by volume, showing structural exposure to global commodity prices
Interpretation
Supply Chain Interpretation
With more than 70% of key staples like soybeans imported by volume, South Korea’s food supply chain is structurally exposed to global commodity price and disruption risks.
07 · Category
Cost Analysis4 stats
01
KRW 34.2 trillion purchase value for Korean food ingredients imported under customs in 2023, measuring the broad scale of input flows
02
Korea’s food inflation averaged 3.6% in 2023, quantifying macro impact on retail and restaurant pricing
03
Palm oil procurement costs in Korea increased 15% in 2022 vs 2021, highlighting commodity-driven cost volatility
04
Korea’s electricity price for commercial use increased 10.3% in 2023, affecting operating costs for restaurants and food plants
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost pressures in Korea’s food industry are clearly rising, with food inflation averaging 3.6% in 2023 alongside a 10.3% commercial electricity price increase and a 15% jump in palm oil procurement costs in 2022 compared with 2021.
08 · Category
Macro & Employment4 stats
01
1.6% GDP contribution from the food and beverage sector in Korea in 2022, quantifying macroeconomic importance
02
1.21 million people were employed in food and accommodation services in Korea in 2023, measuring labor absorption from the food industry
03
Food manufacturing employed 0.36 million workers in Korea in 2022, quantifying job concentration in processing activities
04
There were 1,250 food-related startups registered in Korea in 2023, reflecting entrepreneurship in food tech and services
Interpretation
Macro & Employment Interpretation
In 2022 the food and beverage sector contributed 1.6% of Korea’s GDP while employment across the sector stayed substantial in 2022 to 2023 with 0.36 million in food manufacturing and 1.21 million in food and accommodation services, alongside 1,250 registered food related startups in 2023 showing that macroeconomic weight is translating into broad job creation and ongoing new business momentum.
report visual · Key figures
Korean Food Industry: Growth Momentum with Consumer Demand Signals
The sector shows sustained expansion, supported by rising market demand and steady consumption trends.
9%
9.0% CAGR projected for the Korean food market over 2023–2030, indicating sustained growth in demand and consumption of
5.2%
Korea’s foodservice market grew 5.2% in 2023, indicating continued expansion in dine-in and delivery demand
49%
49% of Korean consumers reported buying health-functional foods in the past 12 months in 2023, capturing mainstream dema
82%
82% of Korean consumers reported eating kimchi at least weekly in 2022, evidencing strong habitual consumption of a core
source-verifiedaimediainc.com · oecd-ilibrary.org · mfds.go.kr · fao.org2023
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). Korean Food Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/korean-food-industry-statistics
MLA
Sophie Moreland. "Korean Food Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/korean-food-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Sophie Moreland. 2026. "Korean Food Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/korean-food-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
20 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)