With growing demand from Korean consumers and chefs for healthier products derived from GMO-free wheat, a key market of three decades for Manildra Group’s premium food and industrial products is strengthening, under the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA).
“Our native and modified starches offer superior texture, binding capacity, improved whiteness, clarity and enhanced shelf life” – Peter Simpson, Manildra Group General Manager”
As Asia’s fourth-largest economy and home to about 50 million people, Korea represents Australia’s third-largest export market and fourth-largest overall trading partner, with total annual two-way trade exceeding $55 billion in 2017.
And with restricted farming land availability in Korea requiring substantial food imports, Australian agriculture has been a big winner from the signing of KAFTA in 2014.
This includes premium Australian-owned, and made vital wheat gluten, starches and ethanol, introduced more than 30 years ago to the Korean market by Manildra Group Chairman Dick Honan and General Manager Peter Simpson.
“We are blessed with rich natural assets in Australia and our GMO-free range of products exceeds Korean consumers’ expectations of Australia as a clean and green country,” said Mr Simpson.
Manildra Group is now looking to Korea as a key market for our locally made oligosaccharides.
“Providing for excellent gut flora and health, our oligosaccharide range is the perfect ingredient for Korean rice wine, drinking yoghurt, soy milk drinks, fermented vinegar, biscuits, and non-alcoholic carbonated beverages,” said Mr Simpson.
He said in comparison to traditional sweeteners, oligosaccharides could also deliver moderated sugar absorption and boosted fibre levels.
“In many applications, oligosaccharides can be used as full or partial sugar replacers with little impact on flavour, mouthfeel and texture.”
Mr Simpson said Korean customers relied on Manildra Group’s premium range of food ingredients as the benchmark for quality, consistency and innovation. “Korean customers are extremely quality-conscious, and we have spent decades enhancing and expanding our range of GMO-free, native and modified starches – including our new waxy maize starch,” he said.
“Our wheat-based native and modified starches offer superior texture, binding capacity, improved whiteness, clarity and enhanced shelf life.”
“And with our staff based in Manildra Group’s Seoul office, headed by YS Chang, we can guarantee the most efficient and cost-effective supply of our expanded range of starches to service local industries for traditional Korean cuisine such as noodles, dumplings, marinades, meat and fish products.”
Mr Simpson said Korea was also positioned as a key market for Manildra Group’s range of Australian-grown and made sugar products – including low-GI sugar by Manildra Harwood Sugars, a joint venture with the grower-owned NSW Sugar Milling Co-Operative.
As Australia’s largest export market for sugar, Korea already purchases more than 40 per cent of our nation’s sugar exports, worth an estimated $911 million in 2017.
“Korean chefs and consumers are highly health-conscious and there are great growth opportunities for our low-GI, antioxidant-rich sugar – which is identical in texture and taste – for food and beverage producers to make their products healthier, without compromising on flavour,” said Mr Simpson
Contact Country Manager YS Chang for more information on Manildra Group products in Korea at ys.chang@manildra.com.au
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