Supplies for Korean restaurant and fried chicken franchises abroad

How do overseas franchise operators source store supplies from Korea?

Product rules and cautions for importers

Food ingredients, electrical equipment and food-contact packaging are regulated goods. In every market the importer of record is responsible for product registration or notification, label approval, halal certification where required, and import licences. The exporter supplies the documents needed for those filings, such as ingredient lists, specifications, manufacturing flow charts and certificates from the maker. Supplying documents does not guarantee that a registration will be accepted.

Food registration and import controls

• United States. The foreign facilities that make, pack or hold the food must be registered with FDA, and prior notice must be filed for each shipment. The US importer is responsible for safety and labelling and must run a foreign supplier verification program. FDA does not approve individual products, labels or shipments in advance.
• European Union. Food containing both plant ingredients and processed animal-origin ingredients is a composite product under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2292. The animal-origin ingredients must come from EU-approved establishments in countries authorised to export them. Shelf-stable products without meat travel with a private attestation from the importer; non-shelf-stable products with meat need an official certificate and are checked at a border control post.
• Thailand. Processed foods need licensing from the Thai Food and Drug Administration before import.
• Indonesia. Food products must carry Indonesian-language labels with nutrition content, expiry date and manufacturer and importer details, and food is one of the sectors where registration or compliance certificates are required before shipment is approved.
• Vietnam. Imported goods must show the compulsory label content in Vietnamese, by an added label if the original lacks it. Food labels need quantity, production date, expiry date and warnings.
• Other markets. Malaysia, the Philippines, the UAE and Japan each have their own importer licensing and food product rules. Ask your local regulator or broker which filings apply before the first order, because recipes sometimes need to be adjusted.

Meat, dairy and other animal-origin ingredients in sauces

Animal-origin ingredients are easy to overlook in Korean sauces and seasonings. Many marinades, stocks and powders contain beef extract, pork, chicken fat, milk powder, egg or anchovy. For the United States, the USDA list of eligible countries shows Korea as eligible for processed chicken and processed duck only, so products that fall under USDA meat inspection because of beef or pork content are not eligible for import from Korea. For the EU, the composite product rules above apply. Ask the maker for a full ingredient breakdown with percentages before ordering, and consider plant-based or export-recipe versions where the maker offers them.

Halal in Muslim-majority markets

In Indonesia, halal certification becomes mandatory for imported food and beverages, including ingredients, from 17 October 2026 under Government Regulation 42/2024. Products with non-halal content such as pork or alcohol may still be imported but must be clearly labelled as non-halal. The German-Indonesian chamber reports further 2026 rules from the halal agency BPJPH on non-halal labelling and on an assurance report from a foreign halal body for certified imports. A Korean halal certificate helps only if the certifying body is recognised by the destination authority, so check recognition before paying for certification. Rules in Malaysia and the Gulf states differ; confirm them with the local halal authority.

Allergen labelling

Korean sauces and mixes routinely contain soy, wheat, sesame, milk, egg, peanut, fish or shellfish. US law names nine major allergens (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame, added from 1 January 2023), and each must be declared by its food source name. EU Regulation 1169/2011 requires allergens to be emphasised in the ingredient list, requires allergen information for non-prepacked food served in restaurants, and requires labels in a language the local consumer understands. As the store operator you need accurate allergen data for every sauce to build your menu allergen chart.

Kitchen equipment: voltage, frequency and certification

• Power supply. Korea uses 220 V single phase and 380 V three phase at 60 Hz. The United States and Canada use 120/240 V at 60 Hz. Vietnam uses 220/380 V at 50 Hz. Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the UAE, Australia and EU countries use 230/400 V at 50 Hz, the Philippines 230/400 V at 60 Hz, and Japan 100 V or 200 V at 50 or 60 Hz depending on the region. A Korean fryer may run on a nominally similar voltage, but motors, timers and heating output are designed for 60 Hz, so get the maker’s written confirmation for your supply before ordering.
• United States. Electrical equipment used in workplaces must be certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory under the OSHA programme. Korean KC certification is not a substitute.
• European Union. Products covered by the relevant EU legislation need CE marking. The manufacturer carries out the conformity assessment and issues the declaration of conformity, and the importer must make sure only compliant, CE-marked products are placed on the market. This applies to goods made outside the EU.
• Elsewhere. Most markets have their own safety mark or registration for electrical and gas appliances, and gas appliances must match the local gas type and pressure. Confirm with the local authority or your installer. Equipment without local certification can fail a fire, insurance or health inspection even if customs releases it.

Food-contact packaging and single-use plastic rules

• EU food-contact rules. Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 covers all materials that touch food, including packaging, kitchenware and tableware, with specific EU rules for plastics and ceramics. Ask for the maker’s compliance documents and test reports.
• EU packaging regulation. Regulation (EU) 2025/40 has applied since 12 August 2026. Food-contact packaging may not be placed on the EU market if it contains PFAS at or above 25 ppb for any single PFAS, 250 ppb for the sum of PFAS, or 50 ppm for total PFAS including polymeric PFAS. This matters for grease-resistant chicken boxes and paper liners. The regulation also restricts some single-use plastic formats such as single-portion condiment and sauce sachets, and requires take-away businesses to let customers bring their own containers.
• EU single-use plastics. Under Directive (EU) 2019/904, cups and food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene and all oxo-degradable plastic products have been banned since 3 July 2021. Cutlery, plates, straws and stirrers are among the targeted items.
• United States. FDA regulates food contact substances through listings in 21 CFR and food contact notifications. Ask the packaging maker which authorisation covers the material.
• Other markets. Many countries and cities now restrict plastic bags, straws and foam containers. Check local rules before printing a large run.

Brand, recipe and franchise rights

Proprietary sauces and branded packaging of a franchise belong to the franchisor. We source them only for buyers who hold the right to use them, or we source generic and private-label equivalents. Check your franchise agreement for approved-supplier clauses before ordering.

Related guides: Korean food in a mixed container and K-cafe opening package.

News and recent developments

Korean food service brands keep adding stores abroad while the rules on tariffs, halal and packaging in their main markets changed several times in 2026.

Frequently asked questions