11 Jeju local companies seek overseas expansion in Hong Kong, meeting investors and buyers directly

[Financial News, Jeju = Reporter Jung Yong-bok] Eleven local companies that turned Jeju's resources and stories into products met directly with local investors and buyers in Hong Kong to test their prospects for entering overseas markets.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on the 27th, Jeju Island and the Jeju Center for Creative Economy and Innovation ran the 'Jeju Local Company Global Sales Program' in Hong Kong from the 25th through the 27th.
The participating companies numbered 11 in total, led by the 'THE Jeju Creator' group selected through an open audition.
The participants included 1950, Salt by Pep, Motherworks, BM Cos, Withlike, Medals Agricultural Corporation, Jeju Fillet, Kakao Family, Jeju Basalt, Yudong Coffee Factory and Seongsan Confectionery.
These companies have developed products and brands in the food and beverage, beauty and lifestyle sectors by using Jeju's local resources and stories.
The program was designed not merely to join an overseas exhibition, but to directly gauge reactions from local investors and buyers.
On the first day, the 25th, the companies held an IR demo day, a corporate presentation session, at Le Méridien Hong Kong, Cyberport. The participants introduced their products and brands to local investors and buyers, then explored business potential through Q&A and networking.
On the 26th, they held one-on-one consultations with local buyers who had shown interest in Jeju local brands. The discussions covered not only marketability and consumer demand, but also practical sales conditions such as pricing and distribution methods. Based on the meetings, the companies assessed possibilities for exports, investment and cooperation with local firms.
On the final day, they visited Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the Hong Kong government's investment promotion agency, to review support programs for companies and the market entry environment.
What Jeju Province is focusing on in this program is follow-up commercialization rather than one-off overseas promotion. Consumer demand and buyer feedback gathered locally need to be linked to product improvements, pricing strategies and distribution channels in order to lead to actual exports and expanded sales outlets.
Kang Ae-sook, director of the province's Economic Vitality Bureau, said, "Local brands that carry Jeju's resources and stories drew strong interest from local investors and buyers." She added, "We will strengthen follow-up support so that this can lead to real sales expansion and partnerships, and we will continue to back competitive Jeju local companies as they enter overseas markets."


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