Gov't-certified K-food logo to bolster brand recognition overseas

Students make kimchi at Cesar Ritz Colleges Switzerland, May 24 (local time). Yonhap

Gov't-certified K-Food logo / Courtesy of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

By Lee Kyung-min

Exporters of Korea-manufactured agricultural goods and produce will be able to use a government-certified logo, enabling the country's strong local industry players to bolster global brand recognition for their healthy products, the food ministry said Tuesday.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said the “K-Food” logo will be put on the packaging of export goods starting July 12.

The logo designed by the ministry is trademarked in 27 countries in the European Union, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Philippines, Australia, Russia, Singapore, Mongolia, India, the U.K., Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Laos, Brazil, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

The use of the logo will help consumers from around the world easily recognize Korea's produce and products, and distinguish them from similar products made in other countries. The quality of the products will surely build and win consumer trust, the ministry said.

Other than the already-established brands of Korea's large conglomerates, the country's small and medium-sized local players with relatively weak brand competitiveness will be able to widen their overseas customer base.

The logo can be used for packaging, as well as on the cover of goods produced for sales promotion purposes.

Korea registered exports of agricultural and livestock products worth $8.8 billion (11.3 trillion won) last year, according to the ministry. The all-time-high figure was a gradual increase from $6.9 billion in 2018.

The government is seeking to achieve $15 billion in agricultural exports by 2027, as underpinned by Korean food industries, including traditional food makers, confectioneries, green bio and food tech businesses.

Korea's food industry market size came to 656 trillion won in 2021, a 16 percent year-on-year growth for the second consecutive year. The figure was 607 trillion won in 2020, 535 trillion won in 2019 and 521 trillion won in 2018.