From tofu to air fryers: food firms exp...

From Pulmuone kitchen appliances to Samyang supplements and beauty bets, food companies are branching out to find new growth as core consumption slows. Household appliances are displayed in a pop-up store for Pulmuone's appliances in Lotte Department Store, Jung District, central Seoul. PULMUONETofu, ramen and snacks are no longer enough. From kitchen appliances to beauty products and health supplements, Korean food companies are expanding into unfamiliar territory in search of new growth.Food brand Pulmuone, best known for its Tofu products, announced on Tuesday that its kitchen appliances will be sold at the country's five major department store chains — Lotte, Shinsegae, Hyundai and Galleria department stores, as well as AK Plaza.The tofu giant sees kitchen appliances as a future growth driver due the continued expansion of the home meal replacement market and rising demand for such products.The company plans to expand its lineup with a focus on products such as steam air fryers and ovens."Domestic food consumption is declining and profitability remains relatively low," an industry source said. "Food companies are actively seeking to venture into business sectors that can help with their existing operations."Pulmuone first entered the appliance market in 2016 using its expertise on food business and expanded its product lineup during the Covid-19 pandemic as demand for convenient at-home meals increased.The company currently sells more than 30 different types of products, including refrigerators for kimchi, food waste processors and microwaves. Its in-house teams oversee the entire process, from product planning and development to testing and verification.Sales from the company's appliance division rose more than 40 percent on year last year."We will expand beyond being a food company and broaden our business into a ‘total kitchen solution’ provider covering the entire process from cooking, storing and disposing food waste," said Kang Jae-hoon, head of Pulmuone's appliance division. Steam air fryers from Pulmuone PULMUONEMore food companies may soon join the feast.Korea’s home meal replacement market is expected to grow from 14 trillion won ($9.3 billion) in 2025 to 24 trillion won by 2034, according to global research firm Imarc."As the market for home meal replacements and meal kits continues to grow, demand for the appliances used to store and prepare them is also likely to increase," said Lee Jong-woo, a business and marketing professor at Namseoul University. "We're likely to see more food companies enter the kitchen appliance business, because appliances can be marketed alongside its food products."Some food companies are venturing outside the kitchen to the health supplements industry as the demand for Korean health supplements grows overseas.Samyang Foods, known for its viral Buldak Ramen, launched its health supplement brand Spindle last month. Products from instant noodle company Nongshim's health supplement brand, Lifill NONGSHIMRamen powerhouse Nongshim plans to sell its collagen products from its health supplement brand, Lifill in the second half of this year in China.Other major food companies such as Dongwon F&B, CJ CheilJedang, Binggrae and Maeil Dairies also operate health supplement brands.Exports of health supplements reached $318.17 million in 2025, up 14.2 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.Some food companies are now serving up beauty products as well.Shinsegae Food invested 50 billion won in cosmetics ODM company C&C International in October 2025. ODM companies, or original design manufacturers, are firms that develop and produce products later branded and sold by other companies. Seoyoung e&t, a subsidiary of liquor company Hitejinro, acquired cosmetics ODM company BNB Korea in 2024. Hand lotion products from Evenone, a skincare brand from food company hy, formally known as Korean Yakult SCREEN CAPTUREFood company hy, formally known as Korean Yakult, known