Top Korean food retailers scouting for Phl partners

MANILA, Philippines - Top Korean food retailers are looking for Filipino partners for the distribution of their products here as well as for the import of locally-produced goods.

Ki Bong Moon, second deputy head of the trade and investment unit of the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) – Korea Centre, said on the sidelines of a briefing for exporters that three Korean food retailers are interested in doing business with Philippine firms.

“CJ (Cheil Jedang Corp.), E-mart (Co. Ltd.) and Pulmuone (Holdings Co. Ltd.) are the three top food retail companies in Korea,” he said.

Lee Ho Yeon, senior analyst of the strategy purchasing team of CJ Cheil Jedang said the firm is interested to know more about the Philippine market so that it can work with local firms.

“There are Philippine products that are available in Korea, like beer, but there are more we have not known about. At this time, however, we are just exploring opportunities,” he said.

CJ Cheil Jedang’s products include instant cooked rice, high-quality pork with zero additives, and feeds.

For his part, E-mart assistant manager Lee Kang-Hyuk said the firm, which has 250 hypermarkets in South Korea, is looking for distributors of its products here.

“We want to enter the Philippine market because Korea is full and because there is a Korean community here,” he said.

E-mart sells coffee and tea, confectionery, chocolate and gum, fresh goods, seasoning and paste, seaweed as well as ramen and noodles.

Pulmuone is likewise looking for business opportunities in the Philippines.

Goods being sold by Pulmuone are soybean products, fresh noodles and sauces.

Moon said the Asean-Korea Centre is assisting the three companies in exploring available opportunities.

The Asean-Korea Centre is an inter-governmental organization mandated to promote the economic and socio-cultural cooperation between Asean member states and Korea.

“We would like to see trade between Korea and Philippines grow. There is much room for growth,” Moon added.