Riding the K-Beauty and K-Food Wave, 140 Small and Medium-Sized Companies Target the U.S. Market

[Financial News] More than 140 South Korean small and medium-sized companies have launched an all-out push into the North American consumer market at the "K Goods Fair" in Las Vegas. As K brands continue to gain popularity worldwide, the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business plans to develop the event into a practical export platform for domestic SMEs.
According to the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business on the 26th, the opening ceremony of the K Goods Fair was held on the 25th local time at "ASD Market Week 2026" at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC).
ASD Market Week is a major U.S. business-to-business consumer goods exhibition that began in 1961. It is held twice a year, in March and August, and attracts more than 30,000 buyers and distributors from the United States and Latin America.
What stands out this year is that the organizers asked Korean companies to participate as the popularity of K-beauty and K-food has recently surged. At the March edition of ASD, the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business operated the "KBIZ Hall," made up of 15 SMEs, and recorded 441 consultations worth $24.15 million. Based on that result, the federation expanded participation to more than 140 companies for this exhibition.
In the past, SMEs had to visit local buyers one by one to secure export consultations. This time, however, the structure has shifted, with a large-scale Korean pavilion drawing buyers directly to the exhibition hall.
More than 150 booths showcasing a wide range of K goods, including beauty and lifestyle products, featured companies participating in export consortium programs run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, small business owners under the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business's Yellow Umbrella mutual aid program, partners of Home and Shopping, and SMEs based in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, North Gyeongsang Province, and North Chungcheong Province.
The opening ceremony was attended by major figures from Korea and abroad, including Byung Gu Hwang, chairman of the Federation of Korean American Chambers of Commerce, as well as Shelley Berkley, mayor of Las Vegas; Sony Binuya, outreach director for the State of Nevada; and Carolyn Sprowd, senior vice president at FORGE.
Before the ribbon-cutting, the State of Nevada and the City of Las Vegas presented letters of appreciation to Ki-Moon Kim, chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, and Byung Gu Hwang, chairman of the Federation of Korean American Chambers of Commerce, in recognition of their contributions to Korea-U.S. business cooperation through the operation of a large Korean pavilion.
Angel, a director at U.S. retail chain Bill's Department, said, "As interest in Korean content such as dramas and K-pop has grown, demand for Korean products has also increased." He added, "It was great to see a wide variety of products in one place through this large Korean pavilion, and I plan to hold consultations on several products during the exhibition."
Miguel, a buyer from Beauty Pro in Brazil, said, "Seeing Korean products I had long been interested in firsthand was even more attractive than I expected." He added, "I am interested in K-beauty products with strong design and quality, and I believe they are competitive in the Latin American market thanks to their differentiated features, so I requested samples."
Skin & Plus, a South Korean company, returned to the export market after signing an exclusive $2.5 million deal with a Latin American buyer at its first ASD exhibition in March.
Seo Hyun-young, CEO of Skin & Plus, said, "With our second participation, I hope to successfully sign contracts with major North American retailers such as Walmart and Costco and expand our opportunities to enter the market."
Shinil Special Metals prepared its exhibition products and consultation strategy in advance through online meetings. Based on that preparation, the company expects to hold consultations not only with existing buyers but also with new ones.
Ki-Moon Kim, chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, said, "Even amid growing uncertainty in the trade environment, K-beauty and K-food are enjoying huge popularity, and their status has risen to the point that the organizers of ASD Market Week asked Korean companies to participate." He added, "In an era of low birth rates and an aging population, overseas expansion is now essential for SMEs."
[email protected] Reporter Kim Hyun-cheol Reporter