Русский
South Korea imported 10.6 tonnes of ice cream from Russia for US$72,000 in July 2026, according to South Korean customs data. This is the highest figure for this year so far. The previous largest was 10.1 tonnes worth US$66,000 in April. In the first seven months of this year, Russia exported 31.8 tonnes of ice cream to South Korea worth US$214,000, up from 24.2 tonnes worth US$179,000 in 7M 2025. That is an increase of 31.4%.
This is an on-going trend. Russia supplied 43.2 tonnes of ice cream to South Korea in 2025, up 3.4-fold from 12.6 tonnes in 2024.
In the global market, during the first six months of 2026, Russia exported nearly 10,000 tonnes of ice cream, a 27% increase year-on-year, generating US$43 million in revenue. Russian ice cream reaches more than 50 countries, driven by strong demand in neighboring CIS markets and new shipments to diverse global regions. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Mongolia are the leading importers, while new markets include destinatiosn such as Senegal, Ecuador, India, Iraq, Nigeria, and the UAE.
Russian ice cream is renowned for its rich, creamy texture and strict dairy standards based on historical Soviet recipes, with popular brands including Iceberry, Chistaya Liniya and 33 Penguins.
However, the bilateral ice cream trade is not all one way. Ice cream shipments from South Korea to Russia were significantly higher, amounting to 1,500 tonnes for US$4.8 million in 7M, roughly unchanged from a year previously, when 1,600 tonnes were imported for US$4.9 million. In July, Russia imported 197.7 tonnes of ice cream from South Korea valued at US$629,000, versus 316.3 tonnes for US$1 million in July 2025.
South Korea’s global ice cream exports have surpassed US$119 million, reaching a record high driven by surging global interest in K-culture and convenience-store-friendly treats. The primary destination markets include the United States, the Philippines, Canada, Japan, and China. Iconic novelties like Binggrae’s Melona (including popular dairy-free oat milk variants) and Lotte Wellfood’s Samanco fish-shaped ice cream lead international sales.
