Korean snacks and drinks in Europe: Milkis, Cantabile Ade and Buldak for retailers

How big is the Korean food trend in Europe?

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), K-Food+ exports, which cover food plus related agricultural industries, rose 5.1 % to USD 13.62 billion in 2025 (The Korea Herald, 12 January 2026). Shipments to Europe grew 13.6 % to USD 773.7 million. Exports of ramyeon, Korean instant noodles, passed USD 1.5 billion for the first time.

The growth has continued in 2026. In October 2026 the ministry said Korean food exports to the EU reached USD 728.38 million in January to September, up 23.5 % on the same period a year earlier (SBS News, 18 October 2026).

Individual brands show the same shift. Samyang Foods, the maker of Buldak, set up a European company in the Netherlands in 2024. According to Asia Economy (7 August 2024), Europe's share of Samyang's exports rose from 6 % in 2019 to 16 % in 2023. These are export values from Korea, not retail sales in Europe, but they show the direction clearly.

What are Buldak noodles, and which varieties suit a shop?

Buldak are stir-fried instant noodles by Samyang with a spicy chicken-flavoured sauce. The brand became known across Europe through food videos and eating challenges. The heat differs a lot between varieties, which matters both for customers and for regulators.

In 2024 Denmark recalled three of the hottest varieties and cleared two of them again in July 2024; only 3x Spicy Hot Chicken remained withdrawn there. Our guide to the Buldak recall in Denmark explains the details, including batch recalls of Carbonara in 2026.

For a broad range of customers, creamier varieties are a common starting point. We stock Carbonara (130 g), Creamy Carbonara, Quattro Cheese and Rosé (140 g each). The Rosé pack carries a heat scale, which helps first-time buyers choose. If your customers look for halal products: we hold halal certificates for Samyang Buldak and send them on request.

What is Milkis?

Milkis is a carbonated soft drink made with milk by Lotte Chilsung. It was launched in Korea in 1989, and according to Asia Economy (14 December 2023) it passed 100 billion won in annual sales in 2023. The Original can describes its taste as milk and yoghurt.

Because it contains milk, refer customers with allergies or dietary questions to the ingredient list on the can. We stock Milkis Original, Strawberry, Melon and Banana in 250 ml cans, 30 cans per case. In Germany the cans carry the German deposit, which matters if you sell abroad; see our guide to German deposit on drinks sold abroad.

What are Korean fruit drinks like Cantabile Ade?

Cantabile Ade are fruit-flavoured drinks in 230 ml stand-up pouches with Korean lettering and a penguin design. We stock Blueberry, Mango, Strawberry and Watermelon, 50 pouches per case.

The pouch is light and flat, so it takes up less fridge space than cans of the same volume. It also looks different from anything else in a typical European drinks fridge, which draws attention. In Germany stand-up pouches are exempt from the single-use deposit, so Cantabile carries no German deposit.

Who buys Korean snacks and drinks?

The core group is teenagers and young adults who know Korean food from K-pop, TV series and short videos. They often see a product online first and then look for it in a shop near them. Students and young professionals buy noodles as a quick meal, and customers from Korean and other Asian communities often know the brands already.

There is also the curious shopper who has never tried Korean food but picks up a pouch or a can because it looks unusual. A short explanation helps here: “Korean milk soda, sweet and fizzy” for Milkis, or “creamy and only moderately hot” for Carbonara.

Where should Korean products go in the shop?

Group them in one place. A small Korean or Asian corner with noodles on one shelf and drinks in the fridge next to it is easy to find and encourages customers to buy a noodle and a drink together.

Put the drinks at eye level and keep each flavour in its own row. For noodles, a small sign that ranks the varieties from mild to hot works well. Avoid signs that dare customers to finish a pack; that kind of challenge marketing is exactly what drew the Danish authority's attention in 2024.

For vending machines, check pack sizes before loading: cans fit many standard spirals, whereas pouches and noodle packs need wider slots.

What should retailers check before listing Korean imports?

Labelling: the mandatory information must be in a language your customers understand, including highlighted allergens, and the pack should name a business with an EU address. Our guide to labelling imported snacks lists the points to check. Our range is meant for the EU market and comes through official channels, but you should still check the rules in your country before selling.

Deposit: canned drinks fall under national deposit systems, and a German deposit can cannot be returned abroad. When we deliver abroad, we clarify per product whether German deposit is charged or removed. Recalls and dates: watch your national recall portal and sell older best-before dates first. Keep your invoices so that you can trace each lot.

Buying Korean snacks and drinks from MDH

MDH Distribution is a trade-only wholesaler with a warehouse in Mettmann, Germany. There is no minimum order value; you order full cases and can mix Buldak, Milkis and Cantabile in one order. Our page on Asian snacks and drinks wholesale shows the current range.

Within Germany we usually deliver within 24–48 hours. Retailers from other EU countries register with a valid VAT ID; we deliver to them as well and agree route, cost and transit time in advance. To see prices, create a trade account and upload your proof of business; approval usually takes 1–2 working days.

Sources

• Exports hit $13.6b in 2025 as government targets $16b this year (The Korea Herald, 12.01.2026)
• Food exports hit record high in 2025 (Korea JoongAng Daily, 12.01.2026)
• Ministry of Agriculture to expand K-Food exports to Europe, targeting French school meals (SBS News, 18.10.2026)
• Samyang Foods establishes European corporation in the Netherlands (Asia Economy, 07.08.2024)
• Lotte Chilsung Milkis surpasses 100 billion KRW in annual sales (Asia Economy, 14.12.2023)
• Nye analyseresultater frikender stærke chilinudler (Fødevarestyrelsen, 15.07.2024)