BSM Market Signal — Latvia’s Kārums enters South Korea via Coupang
Latvia’s best-known curd snack brand Kārums is entering the South Korean market, with the first shipment currently in transit and scheduled to launch on Coupang, the country’s largest e-commerce platform. The initial assortment includes six popular flavours and multi-packs for convenience stores, with expansion into a national retail chain planned at a later stage.
The cooperation was developed with support from the Latvian Central Union of Dairy Producers under the EU programme “Information and promotion measures for agricultural products in South Korea, Malaysia and Canada.”
According to Food Union CEO Artūrs Čirjevskis, digital channels and small stores are the preferred entry route in markets where curd snacks are still unfamiliar. In Europe, Kārums already appears in major chains such as Kaufland, Coop, Eurospar, Meny and Supervalu.
Kārums products are now sold in 20+ countries. New markets in 2025 include Malta, Serbia and South Korea. In 2024 the company exported dairy products to 30 countries, with exports accounting for one third of turnover (€45.7 million).
Regional context:
A review of regional and international sources shows no other confirmed Baltic dairy exports to South Korea in 2024–2025.
Similarly, no verified Latvian dairy exports to Japan were found. Several producers have pursued certification for China, but no confirmed volumes for 2024–2025 are reported.
Significance:
The Kārums launch is one of the few verified Baltic dairy entries into competitive Asian markets — a small but meaningful signal for the region’s agri-food exporters.
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Image: photos/photo_77@27-11-2025_21-58-11.jpg