Australian horticulture showcased in South Korea

Some of Australia’s finest fruit and vegetables were on the menu at a gala dinner in Seoul recently as South Korea’s food industry representatives gathered to taste the wonders of Australia’s fine food and wine.

More than 120 people attended the event including food importers, distributors and chefs, along with Australian industry representatives and government officials including the Australian Ambassador to South Korea, Catherine Raper.

The guests were treated to the wonders of Australia’s finest fresh produce, meat, seafood and dairy, with broccoli and grapes the headline horticulture acts. The menu included broccoli and cream soup, Tasmanian Atlantic salmon, lobster salad, tenderloin steak, and pavlova topped with Australian grapes and cream. The food was paired perfectly with Australian wines, highlighting the strength and breadth of Australia’s premium produce.

The gala evening included a cook-off between the two finalists of a competition held in the lead-up to the event to encourage young South Koreans to use Australian food and wine in their home cooking. The winner was Choi Sung-joo, who created Australia's Sea and Land in One Bite: a rose salmon and beef pie with lemon cream sauce.

The runner-up was Dong Kyu Kim with his Lobster with Mornay Sauce, shrimp terrine and meat pie, braised dragon fruit and melon balls, carrot and asparagus.

Earlier in the day, delegates from the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group, including Hort Innovation, attended an industry roundtable with Australian Embassy staff to discuss trade and market dynamics in South Korea and the opportunities available to Australian producers.

Background

South Korea is Australia’s fifth largest export market, after China, Japan, the US and Vietnam*, and offers huge potential for Australia’s food and wine producers, with a growing demand for fresh, safe, high-quality ingredients from among the country’s 51 million residents.

It’s the second high-potential export market targeted by the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group, after a highly successful market promotion in Thailand last year. Vietnam and Indonesia will follow in 2023-24.

Hort Innovation General Manager Trade and Biosecurity R&D, Dr Mila Bristow, said South Korea was an important and increasingly significant market for horticulture products.

“The market currently accounts for around three per cent of trade and the value of exports has expanded to be around seven times that of a decade ago,” Dr Bristow said.

“Australia’s strength in the market is underpinned by a short (transporting) distance to South Korea and the ability to produce and export counter-cyclically to northern hemisphere suppliers. High-quality value chains are also an important differentiator.”

Hort Innovation has joined forces with Meat & Livestock Australia, Wine Australia, Seafood Industry and Dairy Australia in a Team Australia approach to champion the wonders of Australia’s fresh produce, and increase market access for farmers, food producers and the Australian seafood industry.

The partnership leverages the five individual organisations’ strengths, expertise and connections in engaging with overseas markets, along with support from an Agriculture Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) grant of $500,000.

* Data reference: ABARES, March 2023:
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/trade/dashboard

Acknowledgements

The Australian Food and Wine Trade Collaboration was created to promote quality Australian food and beverages in key international markets. The members and funding partners are Dairy Australia, Hort Innovation, Meat & Livestock Australia, Wine Australia and Seafood Industry Australia.