South Korea

South Korea, officially known as the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a beautiful country located in East Asia on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. South Korea shares its land border with only North Korea to the north, separated by the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). South Korea is bordered by the Yellow Sea to the west (facing China), the Sea of Japan to the east (facing Japan), and the Korea Strait to the south. South Korea’s strategic location makes it a vital player in the field of global trade and geopolitics in the Asia-Pacific region.

South Korea stands globally for its technological innovation, high-speed internet infrastructure, K-pop culture, manufacturing industries, and strong global brands like Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and Kia. South Korea is one of the most industrialized nations in the world, and its manufacturing industries contribute significantly to its GDP. South Korea has diverse manufacturing industries, from food and cosmetics to pharmaceuticals.

In the manufacturing of any product, various components play a vital role. Some components enhance visual appeal, while others aid in manufacturing efficiency. One of the most common components of them is colours, which improve the visual appeal of the products that helping in the product sale and brand recognition in the market. South Korea prepares colours, but it’s not sufficient to fulfill all the colour-related demands of the country. To solve this problem, South Korea imports colours from other countries as well. Some of the countries that export colours to South Korea are India, China, and Vietnam.

In South Korea, colours play a crucial role in various manufacturing industries. Colours give an appealing look to products that attract the attention of consumers and boost sales. Here are some common manufacturing includes:

Colour plays a vital role in South Korea’s food manufacturing industry, enhancing product appeal and consumer attraction. It provides an appealing look to a range of food products, from processed products, bakery items, dairy products, soft drinks, and juices, which increases sales. However, food manufacturers of South Korea often face challenges in selecting the right colours for their products. Manufacturers want high-quality food colours that make their products appealing and stable for a long time. South Korean food manufacturers can overcome their challenges by using synthetic food colours in their products. Synthetic food colours give a final appealing look to food products, helping in creating brand recognition in the market and boosting sales. In South Korea, most of the food and beverage manufacturing industries are located near its big cities like Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province, Busan, and Daejeon. According to Statista, the revenue of the food market amounts to US$140.10 billion in 2025, and it is expected to grow annually by 5.44% (CAGR 2025-2030).

In the cosmetics manufacturing industry, colours hold an important place. Cosmetic products, whether we are talking about lipsticks, foundations, blushes, or other cosmetic items, require colours for the final touch. South Korean cosmetic manufacturers want colours that do not fade or change on products over time and make the product appealing. Cosmetic manufacturers can overcome their problems by using synthetic cosmetic colours in their products. These high-quality synthetic pigments and dyes are available in a wide range of shades that allow manufacturers to create unique and different coloured products, helping brand recognition in the market and increasing sales. Most of the cosmetics manufacturing industries of South Korea are located in Suwon, Osan, Hwaseong, Yongin, and Cheonan. According to Statista, the revenue of the beauty and personal care market in South Korea is projected to reach US$15.70 billion in 2025, and it is expected to grow annually by 2.63% (CAGR 2025-2030).

In the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, colours play a crucial role. Colours give a bright and appealing look to a range of medicines, including tablets, capsules, syrups, injectables, and health supplements. These brightly coloured medicines help patients and pharmacists to easily recognize the medicines that reduce the chance of taking the wrong medicines. However, pharmaceutical manufacturers of South Korea often face challenges in selecting the right colours for their products. Manufacturers want stable and high-quality colours that do not fade or bleed over time. To meet these challenges, synthetic food-grade colours offer the best solution to South Korean pharmaceutical manufacturers. Synthetic food-grade colours are of high quality and do not bleed or change in medicines during manufacturing and storage. In South Korea, most of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is located near Seoul, Incheon, Hwaseong, Cheonan, and Pyeongtaek. According to Statista, the revenue of the pharmaceutical market of South Korea is set to reach US$13.91 billion in 2025, and the market is anticipated to display a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.27% between 2025 and 2029.

In the South Korean chocolate manufacturing industry, colours play a crucial role. Colours give a vibrant and appealing look to chocolate products that attract the attention of consumers, especially children and young adults, who are the prime consumers of chocolate. Still, chocolate manufacturers of South Korea often face some challenges during the selection of colours. Manufacturers want stable and premium quality colours that come in various colour shades. South Korean chocolate manufacturers can overcome all their colour-related problems by using synthetic food colours in their products. Synthetic food colours come in various shades that allow chocolate manufacturers to make different coloured products, helping in brand recognition and sales. In South Korea, colour merchants, big distributors, and traders import colours at low prices from other countries and sell them in South Korea at high prices, making a profit on each sale. They sell the coloursant under the same brand name from which they bought colours, while others create their own labells and sell their own branding. Most of the chocolate manufacturing industries of South Korea are located near Seoul, Pyeongtaek, Ansan, Cheonan, and Gimhae cities. According to Statista, the revenue of the Chocolate Confectionery market of South Korea is amount to US$638.10 million in 2025, and it is expected to grow annually by 4.71% (CAGR 2025-2030).

Colours also play a crucial role in the animal feed manufacturing industry of South Korea. Colours make pet food products, including poultry, swine, and cattle, appealing, attracting animals' attention, and ensuring better nutrient intake for animal health. However, manufacturers of pet food in South Korea often face challenges in selecting the right colours for their products. They want bright and stable colours that make the feed appealing and fresh for a long time. South Korean animal feed manufacturers can overcome their problem by using synthetic food colours in their product. These colours maintain the stability and consistency of pet food products for a long time. This allows manufacturers to store their products for a long time. Most of the pet food manufacturing industries of South Korea are located near its big cities, where transportation is easy, like Incheon, Cheonan, Gimpo, Anseong, and Seongnam.

In South Korea, cultural preferences play a significant role in how consumers perceive colours in products such as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and chocolates. Korean consumers tend to associate soft, clean, and pastel colours with purity, safety, and modernity—qualities especially valued in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. In skincare and beauty items, neutral tones like white, beige, and pink are favoured for their connection to minimalism and skin health. For food and chocolates, natural and vibrant colours like red, brown, green, and yellow are popular, as they reflect freshness, traditional flavours, and seasonal ingredients. Korean culture also places a high emphasis on visual aesthetics, so packaging with elegant and harmonious colour schemes significantly influences purchasing decisions across all categories.

In South Korea, the use of colours in products, whether synthetic or natural food colours, is overseen by the country's governmental body. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) is the governmental body of South Korea that checks the quality and safety of colours for human consumption. MFDS also conducts inspections, sampling, testing, and enforcement actions from time to time to ensure the safety of colours in products.

In South Korea, starting a new business is also a challenging task. Startups have to compete with the businesses that are already in the market and make space for their products. Pricing of the product is also a hurdle to launching a new product in the market. Startups can overcome their many challenges by using high-quality synthetic food colours in their products, as these colours come in various colour shades that allow the businesses to make different and unique coloured products, helping in brand recognition of the product in the market and increasing sales. Synthetic food colours are an affordable option compared to other colour alternatives like natural food colours. By using synthetic food colours in their products, startups can improve the sales of their products.

If you are a manufacturer of a startup business in South Korea and are looking for high-quality synthetic food colours that help you to create brand recognition of your product in the market and increase sales, Ajanta Food Colours is the best option for you. Ajanat Food Colours is a leading synthetic food colours manufacturer in India, exporting colours to many countries around the world, including South Korea.

For the quality and safety of our colourants, we at Ajanta Food Colours have received various awards and certificates from India and from other countries where Ajanta exports its high-quality colourants. Some of the prestigious awards and certificates received by Ajanta Food colours includes the Arch of Europe Award, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Award, certifications from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA), as well as Halal, Alcumus ISOQAR, Star-K Kosher, Food Safety System 22000 (FSSC 22000), and ISOQAR certifications, among others. These awards and certificates show Ajanta's expertise and over 75 years of legacy in the field of synthetic food colours manufacturing.

To know more about Ajanta Food Colours and its range of colourants, or for any other information, please contact us today!