UK SEAFOOD EXPORTS TO SOUTH KOREA SURGE

UK seafood exports to South Korea Surge 75%… Mackerel emerges as ‘game changer’ with 1,900% growth. 2025 cumulative volume hits 5,057 tons (+75%) with value reaching USD 49.35 million (+54%) Frozen Boiled Whelk Meat dominates market despite 17% price hike… Mackerel volume jumps 20-fold Overall average unit price drops to $9.76/kg due to the influx of low-cost mackerel

In the South Korean seafood import market of 2025, the United Kingdom (UK) demonstrated a remarkable breakthrough. While the traditional flagship product, whelk meat, showed solid growth, imports of frozen mackerel increased explosively, driving the total annual import volume up by 75%.

Import Performance: A ‘Quantum Jump’ of 75% in Volume and 54% in Value
Import Volume: According to data analysed by Union Forsea Corp., the cumulative import volume from the UK from January to December 2025 totalled 5,057 tons. This represents a massive 75% increase compared to the 2,882 tons recorded in the previous year. UK seafood now accounts for approximately 0.5% of South Korea’s total seafood imports (952,659 tons), significantly expanding its presence.

Import Value: Driven by the surge in volume, the cumulative annual import value reached USD 49.35 million, a 54% increase from USD 32.14 million in the previous year.

Product Analysis: Whelk ‘Leads’ and Mackerel ‘Pushes’
The UK seafood import market was effectively dominated by two major species: Whelk (Value-driven) and Mackerel (Volume-driven).

1. Frozen Boiled Whelk Meat
Performance: Imports reached 3,092 tons, a 23% increase from 2,515 tons in the previous year.
Status: Accounting for approximately 88% (USD 43.6 million) of the total UK import value, it remains the absolute “cash cow.” Despite the negative factor of rising unit prices, the solid domestic demand for whelk was reaffirmed.

2. Frozen Mackerel
Performance: Import volume, which was merely 91 tons in the previous year, skyrocketed to 1,820 tons in 2025. This represents an unprecedented growth rate of 1,900%.
Background: Amidst price volatility and quota issues with Norwegian mackerel, UK mackerel emerged as a cost-effective alternative, leading to a vertical rise in import volumes.

3. Others
Frozen Imitation Caviar (Herring Roe): 85 tons imported (11% decrease).
Frozen Boiled Whelk (Whole/Shell-on): 60 tons imported.

Price Trends: Whelk ‘Up’ vs. Overall Average ‘Down’ (The Mix Effect)
Whelk Price Surge: The average import price of Frozen Boiled Whelk Meat was recorded at USD 14.10/kg, a 17% increase from the previous year (USD 12.06/kg). This is attributed to rising local production costs and exchange rate fluctuations.

Overall Average Price Drop: Conversely, the overall average unit price for UK seafood dropped to USD 9.76/kg, a 12.5% decrease from the previous year (USD 11.15/kg).

Cause: This is not due to a decrease in whelk prices but rather a “Mix Effect” caused by the massive influx of relatively low-priced Frozen Mackerel (USD 2.86/kg), which diluted the overall average price.

Source and image : Union Forsea Corp.