COEX has brought 50 promising Korean consumer-goods companies to Dubai as part of a new initiative to help small and medium-sized enterprises expand into the Middle Eastern market and build long-term export channels across the region.
The first 2026 K-Premium Products Fair in Dubai, running from September 29 to October 1 at InterContinental Dubai Festival City, marks COEX’s first exhibition in the Middle East as the South Korean exhibition organiser expands its overseas operations beyond Vietnam and Indonesia.
The event connects Korean companies with buyers and distributors from across the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets.
UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi delivered the keynote address at the opening, which was attended by Lee Won-ik, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the UAE, and Jonghoon Han, Director of COEX.
The 50 participating Korean companies span beauty and fashion, living and interior, food and beverages and other consumer products. A key feature is a one-on-one export consultation programme linking the companies with distributors and purchasing representatives from major retail networks, particularly in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
COEX said it has used its global buyer network and local agents to identify potential buyers and match them with participating companies based on their product portfolios and export requirements.
“This event, the first COEX is presenting in Dubai, is meaningful as both an initiative to support Korean SMEs entering the Middle East and a starting point for expanding COEX’s overseas business into the region,” said Jo Sang Hyeon, President of COEX.
“We aim to support promising Korean SMEs by facilitating direct consultation with local buyers and enabling them to assess consumer responses so that they can practically evaluate their potential to enter the Middle Eastern market,” he said.
The initiative extends beyond the three-day exhibition. Participating brands are being showcased to consumers at major retail facilities in Dubai before and after the event, while COEX is also running an online sales programme.
Following the fair, COEX will provide support for cross-border online sales for about two months, giving the Korean companies an opportunity to gauge consumer interest and assess their market potential.
“Going forward, we will continue to expand export channels for Korean companies across the GCC and throughout the Middle East by leveraging our global exhibition and buyer networks,” Jo said.
COEX said it plans to use the Dubai event as a platform for a broader expansion across the GCC and the wider Middle East and North Africa region, drawing on its experience in consumer-goods exhibitions and export support in Vietnam and Indonesia. -TradeArabia News Service
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