PROCOMER: Costa Rica strengthens its focus on Asia with value-added food products in South Korea

• Four Costa Rican companies promoted differentiated products for the HORECA sector at Seoul Food & Hotel 2026.
• South Korea is emerging as one of Asia's leading markets for premium, healthy, and high-quality food products.

SEOUL, South Korea, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Costa Rica continues to strengthen its presence in Asia and expand opportunities for its export sector in high-value markets. From June 9 to 12, four Costa Rican companies participated in Seoul Food & Hotel 2026, one of Asia's leading trade platforms for the food industry, bringing together buyers, distributors, supermarket chains, hotels, restaurants, and foodservice companies from around the world.

The Costa Rican delegation included Instantia, Inalve, Natural Aloe, and Frutera La Paz, which showcased a differentiated portfolio of dehydrated pineapple and banana, frozen tropical fruits, frozen cassava-based products, and aloe extract, mainly targeting the HORECA segment: hotels, restaurants, and catering services.

In addition to their participation in the trade show, the companies held business meetings and conducted strategic visits to leading retail chains and points of sale, including Homeplus, Shinsegae, and Lotte Premium Food Market. These activities allowed them to gain first-hand insight into consumer trends, identify business opportunities, and strengthen their positioning in the South Korean market.

"Market diversification is one of our top priorities to strengthen the resilience and growth of Costa Rican exports. Asia represents an increasingly relevant opportunity for our companies, and South Korea stands out for its sophisticated consumers, strong purchasing power, and growing interest in differentiated food products. Participating in platforms such as Seoul Food & Hotel allowed us to bring Costa Rica's exportable offer closer to new buyers, generate business opportunities, and continue expanding the country's presence in strategic markets around the world," said Laura López, CEO of the Trade & Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER).

South Korea has become one of Asia's most dynamic markets for premium, healthy, and convenient food products, driven by consumers who are increasingly interested in quality, traceability, innovation, and product origin. This context creates new opportunities for Costa Rica's exportable offer, which is internationally recognized for its high standards of quality and sustainability.

Costa Rica's participation in Seoul Food & Hotel was part of a broader trade promotion agenda being carried out in South Korea this year, including initiatives to strengthen the positioning of Costa Rican coffee in the market, one of Asia's most dynamic destinations for high-quality food and beverage products.