K-Food at Home: Meal Kits, YouTube Stars and HMR — 2026-09-10
The Korean home meal replacement (HMR) market is shifting toward premium "restaurant-style" convenience, with major players like LF Food and Harim launching new high-end lines to capture consumers seeking authentic flavors without the delivery cost. Simultaneously, the government has reset its export strategy to hit a $16 billion K-food target by focusing on US hypermarkets and emerging Chinese wellness trends.
K-Food at Home: Meal Kits, YouTube Stars and HMR — 2026-09-10
Top developments
LF Food Rebrands Premium HMR Brand 'Hanban 12'
LF Food announced on September 9 that it is completely revamping its premium Korean-style HMR brand, "Hanban 12," to aggressively target the growing home-cooking market. The company is reorganizing raw materials, taste profiles, packaging, and sales channels to ensure restaurant-quality authenticity at home. This move reflects the broader trend where domestic HMR sales have grown from approximately 6.1 trillion won in 2023 to an estimated 7 trillion won in 2025, with consumers increasingly prioritizing quality over mere convenience.
Harim Expands 'Pot Dish' Lineup for Home Dining
Food company Harim is expanding its "Pot Dish" (Naembi Yori) HMR lineup, aiming to bridge the gap between convenience and gourmet dining experiences. Launched recently, these products allow consumers to enjoy restaurant-level pot dishes with minimal cleanup and effort, addressing the rising costs of dining out and delivery fees. This expansion highlights the competitive pressure in the HMR sector to replicate specific dining formats rather than just offering generic prepared foods.
Government Resets Export Strategy for $16 Billion Goal
The South Korean government has adjusted its K-food export strategy to achieve this year’s ambitious $16 billion target. The new plan places specific emphasis on penetrating US hypermarkets and capitalizing on China’s rising "punk wellness" food trends. This strategic pivot indicates a move away from traditional retail channels toward high-volume international partners and niche health-conscious demographics in key Asian markets.
Rise of "Home Chinese" HMR Amid Delivery Cost Inflation
Local media reports highlight a surge in demand for "Home Chinese" (Hom-Jungsik) HMR products as consumers seek alternatives to expensive delivery apps. Companies like Myeon Sarang, Ottogi, and Dongwon F&B are competing with rapid-freezing technologies and specialized dough formulations to recreate the authentic "wok hei" (breath of the wok) flavor in frozen noodles and dumplings. This trend underscores how inflation is driving innovation in texture and taste fidelity within the frozen food sector.
Local view
Convenience Stores Target "Solo Holiday" Diners Financial News reports that Korean convenience store chains are significantly expanding their Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) product lines to cater to single-person households, known as "Hon-myeong-jok." Stores are offering full-course bento boxes, kimbap, rice cakes (songpyeon), and small-portion desserts, allowing solo diners to enjoy a complete holiday meal without cooking. This shift reflects the demographic reality of increasing single-person households in Korea, who are increasingly relying on HMR for traditional festive foods.
Context & numbers
- HMR Market Size: The domestic HMR market in South Korea is estimated to have reached approximately 7 trillion won in 2025, up from 6.1 trillion won in 2023.
- Export Target: The government aims for $16 billion in K-food exports for 2026, with previous records showing agricultural and food exports hitting $13.6 billion in 2025.
- Chuseok Shopping: Lotte Home Shopping is doubling its food programming for the upcoming Chuseok holiday, extending flagship shows like "Choi Yura Show" from 120 minutes to a maximum of 200 minutes to accommodate increased demand for regional specialties and celebrity-endorsed foods.
On the radar
- Chuseok Special Broadcasts (Sept 10–21): Major retailers and home shopping channels are launching intensive promotional periods for holiday food kits, with Lotte Home Shopping’s "Boreumchan Da-dream Shopping" event starting September 10.
- BBQ Chicken Gift Sets: Genexis BBQ is pushing its HMR fried chicken gift sets into the Chuseok market, reporting a 29.3% increase in HMR distribution sales, signaling strong consumer acceptance of frozen chicken as a premium gift item.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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