Nongshim Partners With Wanglaoji to Expand Functional Foods

Lyfeill collagen products enter China via Wanglaoji’s sales network

Nongshim holds a signing ceremony for the mutual introduction agreement for functional foods with China’s ‘Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical Company’ at its headquarters in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on April 28. (From left) Liu Yanping, Chairman of Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical Company, and Cho Yong-cheol, CEO of Nongshim.

Nongshim announced on April 28 that it has forged a strategic partnership with ‘Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical Company (hereinafter Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical)’ by signing a ‘Mutual Introduction Agreement for Functional Foods’ at the Nongshim headquarters in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. The signing ceremony was attended by officials from Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical, including Chairman Liu Yanping, the head of its research institute, the product planning team leader, and the export manager.

Under this agreement, two collagen products from Nongshim’s health functional food brand ‘Lyfeill’ are scheduled to enter the Chinese market for the first time in the second half of this year, utilizing Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical’s sales network. The products are ‘Dermacollagen Biotinmax’ and ‘Taeng Taeng Jelly Stick’.

In China, the health functional food market is continuing to grow, driven by a spreading consumer trend that prioritizes health. According to data from the Korea Health Functional Food Association, sales revenue in China’s health functional food market for 2024 reached approximately 41 trillion won, a 6.3% increase from the previous year, and is projected to see an average annual growth rate in the 7% range through 2027.

Additionally, Nongshim will introduce Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical’s functional products for throat health to the Korean market. Following a joint development process, the company plans to obtain domestic health functional food certification and launch the products in the Korean market in the second half of the year.

A Nongshim official stated, “Through this agreement, we will continue to actively pursue product exchanges and joint marketing across various categories.”

Choi Mun-hee