South Korean food company Daesang is accelerating its expansion across Southeast Asia as demand for Korean food products continues to grow throughout the region.
The company said it aims to raise combined sales from its Southeast Asian operations to 1 trillion won by 2030, building on strong growth in markets including Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Daesang currently operates in 10 Southeast Asian countries, selling products such as seaweed snacks, kimchi, ready-to-eat meals, sauces, and seasonings. Combined regional sales reached about 790 billion won in 2025, up roughly 29% from 2021.
The company plans to further strengthen local production, distribution systems, and product diversification as it positions Southeast Asia as a strategic global growth hub.
Industry analysts say Southeast Asia has become one of the fastest-growing overseas markets for Korean food companies, driven by rising interest in Korean culture, expanding middle-class consumption, and growing demand for convenient packaged foods.
Indonesia remains one of Daesang’s most important regional markets. The company first entered the country in the 1970s and has since built extensive manufacturing and distribution operations there.
Under its local “Mamasuka” brand, Daesang now sells more than 200 products in Indonesia, including seaweed snacks, sauces, seasonings, premixes, and ready-to-eat foods.
Seaweed products have emerged as a particularly strong category, with Daesang maintaining the leading market position in Indonesia. Its “Gim Bori” product, designed to be sprinkled over rice and noodles, has gained popularity by adapting Korean seaweed products to local eating habits.
The company has also expanded halal certification efforts through Indonesia’s MUI certification system, aiming to strengthen competitiveness not only in Southeast Asia but also in the broader global halal food market.
Vietnam has become another major growth engine for Daesang. Since establishing Miwon Vietnam in 1994, the company has expanded nationwide production and distribution infrastructure.
Daesang’s O’Food products are now available in more than 98% of Vietnam’s modern retail channels, while traditional distribution networks cover dozens of provinces and cities nationwide.
Strategic cooperation with WinCommerce, one of Vietnam’s largest retail operators, has also helped the company expand market share in key categories such as seaweed products.
Localized products tailored to Vietnamese consumers have contributed to sales growth. One example is seasoned seaweed products marketed as a nutritious food for children due to their iron and calcium content.
Kimchi has also become a rapidly growing category. In 2024, Daesang established local kimchi production facilities in Vietnam’s Hung Yen province to strengthen regional supply capabilities.
The company now offers both traditional Korean-style kimchi and localized variations with milder flavors designed for Southeast Asian consumers.
To support long-term expansion, Daesang invested approximately 30 billion won into production facilities in Vietnam last year, expanding manufacturing capacity for seaweed, tteokbokki, spring rolls, and other convenience food products.
The company is also integrating operations across Southeast Asia by increasing cross-border product supply between Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and neighboring markets.
As part of its regional expansion strategy, Daesang plans to participate in THAIFEX-Anuga Asia later this month in Thailand, where it will showcase products including kimchi, seaweed snacks, hot sauces, and instant tteokbokki to global buyers.
“The success in Southeast Asia is the result of deep understanding of local consumers and food culture, not simply export expansion,” said Lim Jung-bae, CEO of Daesang. “We will continue expanding globally through differentiated products and localized strategies.”
