“Korean Consumer Goods Firms to Meet Local Buyers in Istanbul”... Korea International Trade Association Holds B2B Matchmaking Event Targeting Halal Market

[Financial News] The Korea International Trade Association said on the 15th that it had held a halal product exhibition in Istanbul, Türkiye, on the 14th (local time), with 36 Korean consumer goods companies in beauty, food, household goods and other sectors participating.
According to KITA, about 550 one-on-one export consultations with 75 local and European retail buyers, including BİM, Migros and Rossmann, are expected to take place over two days. The association will then hold a halal food showcase featuring 37 Korean companies at food fairs taking place in Paris on October 17 and Jakarta on November 4.
The event was the Istanbul K-Halal Product Exhibition, held at Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul. KITA said Türkiye’s location connecting Europe and Asia makes it a hub from which to target both the EU and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) markets. Europe and MENA account for a large share of the global halal consumer goods import market, and KITA’s Institute for International Trade estimated the market’s annual size at $400 billion in July this year.
KITA invited major buyers with local distribution networks to the event venue and arranged for them to meet participating companies directly. BİM has around 14,000 stores in Türkiye, North Africa and elsewhere; Migros is a supermarket chain, while Rossmann is a European drugstore chain. Participating companies will hold consultations with the 75 retail buyers over two days.
A session was also held to provide information on the local market. Alpago Yüresin, vice president of Turkish beauty brand Flormar, presented a strategy for K-beauty to enter the MENA halal market. After the event, participants will visit local retail sites, including Migros, Carrefour and Zorlu Center.
KITA is also supporting efforts to develop sales channels for halal food in France and Indonesia, following Türkiye. It will hold a “K-Halal Food Showcase” featuring 37 Korean companies at the international food fairs SIAL in Paris from October 17 to 21 and Jakarta from November 4 to 6, introducing outstanding products and gauging demand in new markets. SIAL is an international food fair that began in Paris in 1964 and is also held in Jakarta, Shanghai and other cities.
Jang Seok-min, executive vice president of KITA, said, “At the opening ceremony, the halal market is growing at an annual rate of at least 6%, driven by young consumers, and is emerging as a key strategic market.”
He added, “We will strengthen support at every stage of market entry, including obtaining certifications, conducting market research, identifying buyers and overseas marketing.”
[email protected] Kim Dong-chan Reporter