[News] VM Consulting Presents Exhibition Marketing Strategies as a Gateway to the U.S. Food Market

“Trade shows are no longer sales venues, but strategic platforms for global market entry”

VM Consulting (CEO David Lee) held an expert seminar on exhibition marketing strategies for entering the U.S. food market on the 29th, targeting Korean food exporters preparing to participate in major food exhibitions in North and South America.

The seminar was organized in preparation for the 2026 First-Half International Food Exhibition Korea Pavilion Program, led by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT). Its objective was to help participating companies understand international food exhibitions not merely as overseas promotional opportunities, but as strategic tools for structured market entry. A total of 50 Korean food exporters participated in the seminar, highlighting the growing demand for structured exhibition-based market entry strategies for the U.S. and the Americas region.

A key focus of the session was to provide participating companies with a clearer framework for selecting the most appropriate U.S. and Americas-based exhibitions, and for defining distinct objectives and strategies for each show prior to participation.

During the seminar, Lee emphasized that “the U.S. food market is not a single, unified market, but a complex ecosystem where North America and South America operate under fundamentally different consumer behaviors, distribution systems, and buyer decision-making structures.”

He added, “Even with the same product, market access strategies and expected outcomes can vary significantly depending on whether a company participates in exhibitions in Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, or São Paulo.”

The seminar featured a comparative analysis of major food exhibitions in the Americas, including NPEW (Los Angeles), SIAL Canada (Montreal), APAS Show (São Paulo), and the Summer Fancy Food Show (New York). Through this analysis, participants were introduced to step-by-step market-entry pathways, with exhibitions serving as strategic checkpoints.

In addition, the program addressed key evaluation criteria used in the Korea Pavilion selection process, including export readiness, product market suitability, and exhibition marketing plans, and offered practical guidance on strategic preparation prior to exhibition participation.

Lee noted that “global food exhibitions have evolved beyond product display spaces. Buyers now assess a company’s overall market readiness, business structure, and long-term partnership potential.”

He continued, “To convert exhibition meetings into tangible outcomes, companies must be able to clearly communicate pricing strategies, local distribution plans, and post-exhibition follow-up systems.”

The seminar also covered practical exhibition marketing frameworks, including pre-show buyer targeting, on-site outbound engagement strategies, and post-show lead management—connecting the entire exhibition journey into a single, integrated marketing process.

VM Consulting has provided exhibition marketing strategy consulting and professional training at global exhibitions such as CES, ADIPEC, and GITEX, and has recently expanded its consulting services to K-Food exporters seeking structured, region-specific global market-entry strategies.

Lee concluded by stating, “Participation itself is not the goal of an exhibition. Trade shows are the starting point for a company’s global brand perception. We hope this seminar helps Korean food exporters approach the U.S. market with clearer strategies and stronger positioning.”

(C)VM Consulting