Nongshim CEO Jo Yong-chul said Tuesday that the company aims to lift overseas sales to more than 60 percent of total revenue and reach 7.3 trillion won ($4.88 billion) in sales by 2030, alongside a 10 percent operating margin. Overseas business currently accounts for about 40 percent of Nongshim's revenue.
"We will sufficiently achieve this sales target if we secure logistics hubs to support our overseas business," Jo told reporters at a briefing in Seoul marking the 40th anniversary of flagship brand Shin Ramyun, adding that an export-only plant in Busan's Noksan district will start operations in the fourth quarter and that the company will widen distribution in the United States, Japan and China.
Nongshim, which holds more than 60 percent of Korea's domestic ramyeon market, plans to launch a sales unit in Moscow next month to tap the European and Commonwealth of Independent States markets, on top of existing factories in Los Angeles and three Chinese cities.
Shin Ramyun's overseas sales reached 1.02 trillion won last year, or 66% of the brand's 1.54 trillion won total.
The drive reflects a broader industry scramble. Korea's ramyeon exports hit a record $1.52 billion in 2025, up 21.9 percent from a year earlier and extending an 11-year streak of growth, according to the Korea Customs Service, with China and the U.S. together absorbing more than 40 percent of shipments.
Rival Samyang Foods, maker of the viral Buldak spicy noodles, has moved faster. Its 2025 sales surged 36 percent to 2.35 trillion won, with oversea sales accounting for over 70 percent of revenue, and the company broke ground in July on its first non-domestic plant in China.
Ottogi, maker of Jin Ramen, has set a target of 1.1 trillion won in overseas sales by 2030, while smaller player Paldo continues to lean on Russia and Central Asia, where its Doshirak cup noodle is a household name.
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