Namyang Dairy Products said Friday its coffee exports jumped more than 20 percent in 2018 on market diversification and the rising popularity of Korean pop culture abroad. Overseas shipments of its freeze-dried coffee and instant coffee products totaled 36 billion won ($32 million) last year, compared with 28 billion won a year earlier.
Exports of freeze-dried coffee totaled 2,000 tons last year, compared with 1,500 tons a year earlier. The value rose to 30 billion won from 23 billion won. The company also exported 50 million instant coffee mixes, up from 40 million the previous year.
A company official attributed the export jump to its development of premium products as well as the overseas popularity of Korean pop culture.
Namyang Dairy Products said it will ramp up efforts to diversify its export markets to Europe. Last year, Korea’s overall exports of coffee products came to 75,100 tons, up slightly from 75,000 tons a year earlier.
Meanwhile, Korea’s exports of milk powder surged to 32.5 billion won last year from 26 billion won a year earlier.