Samyang to release tom yum flavor Buldak in US

Samyang Foods' new Tom Yum Buldak Spicy Chicken Ramen Soup (Samyang Foods)

South Korean food manufacturer Samyang Foods said Friday it would launch a new tom yum flavor of its bestseller Buldak Spicy Chicken Ramen series in the US market later this year.

Featuring the traditional Thai hot and sour soup, tom yum, the new export-version of Buldak targeted Asians as well as big fans of Asian food in the United States.

It blended the tangy, sweet and sour flavor of Thai soup with spicy chicken noodles and also added lemongrass and cilantro to complete the iconic tom yum taste.

The new flavor is expected to hit the market between December and January, according to company officials.

While the Buldak series won a huge success in the overseas market, Samyang Foods is aiming to release products that reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the US. Catering to global customers, it has launched a corn flavor for those who can't handle spicy food and a habanero lime flavor for the Hispanic population.

As it has recently established the US branch “Samyang America,” the company is gaining momentum to rapidly expand its presence in the US market with a diversified product portfolio.

“Starting with the US, we are also considering the launch of a new tom yum flavor in Asia,” the Samyang Foods officials said. “We will continuously tap into the overseas market with a unique localization strategy."

By Mun So-jeong(munsojeong@heraldcorp.com)