Emart Inc., South Korea’s leading hypermarket chain, has formed a strategic partnership with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) to enhance its international franchise presence and boost exports of products from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This collaboration, announced recently, aims to leverage KOTRA’s extensive global network of 129 trade offices across 84 countries to identify suitable partners for Emart’s overseas franchise initiatives.
Under the terms of this agreement, KOTRA will assist Emart by facilitating consultations and establishing contacts that will help the hypermarket chain expand its franchise operations internationally. Emart views this partnership as a vital step in promoting Korean SME products globally. Currently, Emart has a growing international footprint with hypermarkets in Vietnam and Mongolia and operates 18 no-brand specialty stores in the Philippines, all functioning under a franchise model. These stores not only cater to local consumers but also serve as launchpads for exporting high-quality Korean products abroad.
Kang Hee-seok, CEO of Emart, emphasized the importance of these overseas franchise stores in the export strategy for Korean SMEs. He expressed optimism that the collaboration with KOTRA would foster a model of shared growth, enabling Korean products to reach a wider audience in various countries. Last year alone, 433 SMEs successfully exported their products through Emart’s foreign franchise outlets, showcasing the effectiveness of this business model in promoting Korean goods internationally.
With Emart’s well-established distribution expertise and KOTRA’s vast international reach, the partnership is expected to generate significant synergies, ultimately benefiting both companies and contributing to the broader goal of elevating the profile of South Korean SME offerings on the global stage.
