A bowl of spicy noodles has become a major success story for South Korea's Samyang Foods in China.
The company first showcased its signature Buldak spicy noodles at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in 2020. It established its China headquarters in the Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District in 2021 and made China its largest overseas market in 2024.
"2026 marks our seventh participation in the CIIE," said Zhang Chi, Samyang Foods China's external communication director. She said Hongqiao's transport links, business services and proximity to the CIIE venue have helped the company expand quickly in the country.
In 2024, Samyang Foods' sales in China exceeded 2 billion yuan ($279 million), accounting for about 30 percent of the group's global exports.
The CIIE has also helped Samyang develop products tailored to Chinese consumers. Its Korean sweet-and-spicy fried chicken flavor, launched at the 2023 CIIE, sold out within just 20 days. A Thai curry crab flavor followed in 2024.
Samyang has also expanded its online business through the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trade Center, and joined the Hongqiao International Central Business District's livestreaming economy service alliance.
Meanwhile, the company is building its first overseas production facility in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. With an investment of about 1 billion yuan, the plant is expected to begin production by the end of this year, with annual capacity of 800 million to 1 billion packs.
