Buldak rages on: Samyang fires up US push with new export plant

Korea Herald

2 days ago

With record overseas sales, Samyang readies tariff response to safeguard global momentum
MIRYANG, South Gyeongsang Province — Through the glass-paneled corridors of a pristine, state-of-the-art facility, rows of conveyor belts carry neat rectangles of wavy ramyeon, still glistening from a sixty-second plunge into boiling vegetable oil.
This deep-frying marks the midpoint in the noodle-making process. "Each unit will soon be paired with its sauce packet, then sealed and sent through a final round of quality control," explained plant manager Oh Seung-yong.
The final product bears a familiar name on its packaging: Buldak Ramen, the flagship noodle brand of South Korea's Samyang Foods, whose unrelenting global momentum has given rise to this just-completed, next-generation smart plant.
At Wednesday's factory opening, Vice Chair Kim Jung-soo vowed to keep pushing the envelope: 'The star of Buldak has only just begun to blaze. It will burn hotter, shine brighter and we'll keep it burning long into the future.'
Riding a wave of record-breaking momentum, with overseas sales surpassing 1 trillion won ($730 million) last year and its stock price climbing above 1 million won, Samyang Foods sees the new production base as key to meeting surging global demand.
Currently, the Buldak maker produces all its noodles domestically, though its first overseas plant, now under construction in China, is slated for completion in 2027.
The recently opened plant, established as an extension of its existing facility in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, joins Samyang's network of production sites in Wonju, Gangwon Province, and Iksan, North Jeolla Province, boosting total annual ramyeon capacity from 2.08 billion to 2.8 billion units.
Spanning a total floor area of 34,500 square meters, it was completed in just 15 months after breaking ground in March 2024, with a total investment of 183.8 billion won.
Unlike the original Miryang facility, which primarily handles exports to China, the new plant is aimed squarely at Western markets, particularly the United States and Europe.
While overseas markets make up 80 percent of the company's overall sales, the US market charted a robust expansion last year, reaching $280 million in sales, a 127 percent increase year-over-year.
The US accounted for around 27 percent of Samyang's overseas revenue, followed by China at 29 percent. The European market contributed 18 percent.
'Compared to the first facility, this new site is a far more technology-infused operation, capable of producing up to 830 million units of noodles annually,' said Oh at a press conference held a day before the opening ceremony.
According to him, the second plant features autonomous mobile robots to boost operational efficiency, while proprietary packaging logistics technology is expected to cut production costs. The facility also brings Samyang a step closer to its green goals, with expanded capacity for solar energy generation.
Still Buldak-focused
For the time being, Samyang isn't letting up on Buldak, even as it stirs excitement with new launches like Maptang, a fiery soup-based noodle for the next wave of heat-seekers.
'We're not claiming to have reached the peak, but rather that we've entered the right trajectory,' said CEO Kim Dong-chan during the press conference. 'Just as Coca-Cola is a household name around the world, our goal for Buldak is for it to stand shoulder to shoulder with that level of brand recognition.
Vice Chair Kim also noted that Buldak is evolving beyond a food trend into a cultural symbol, becoming a platform for joyful and entertaining content.
'Over the past decade, Buldak content was all about eating (something) more and spicier, but now, we aim to create experiences people can genuinely enjoy with Buldak,' Kim said.
'Just as (we did with) our creamy variant, Carbo Buldak, we'll continue to explore and expand the spicy spectrum to showcase the full depth of our flavor range.'
Although tariffs remain a source of uncertainty for the company, Samyang is staying well-prepared, according to CEO Kim.
'We are now subject to a 10 percent baseline tariff, with additional duties possibly taking effect in July,' he said. 'To respond swiftly, we've formed a task force to assess regional cost structures and prepare countermeasures across key markets.'