Iceland Foods has struck a partnership with South Korean supermarket giant Lotte Mart to ramp up its expansion across Asia.

It will launch branded Iceland concessions across 45 Lotte Mart stores this summer, giving South Korean shoppers access to more than 30 products from its frozen food range.

The initial selection will span chips, ready meals, seafood, desserts and ice cream, with further products expected to be added as the partnership develops.

The agreement marks Iceland’s return to the South Korean market, where its products were previously stocked by supermarket chain Homeplus.

It also builds on Iceland’s growing international presence in Asia, following its expansion into China last year through a partnership with BTG We Link.

The deal saw Iceland open its first Asia Pacific retail concept, Iceland Lab, in Beijing, while the retailer already operates partnerships in Thailand, Cambodia and Brunei.

Iceland Foods international and partnerships director Justin Addison said: “We’re really excited to be launching Iceland products with Lotte Mart and re-introducing our range to South Korean shoppers.”

He added that Lotte Mart’s reputation and reach made it a strong partner for Iceland as it seeks to introduce more consumers in the region to its frozen food proposition.

Addison said South Korea represented an attractive growth market thanks to demand for international food brands, with Iceland looking to build on the initial rollout alongside Lotte Mart.

Lotte Mart operates a sizeable supermarket network in South Korea and overseas, and has increasingly focused its strategy around strengthening its grocery proposition.

Its parent company said the chain operated 175 stores globally as of 2023, including 111 in South Korea and 64 international locations.

The South Korea launch forms part of Iceland’s wider push to grow internationally through partnerships and concession formats rather than relying solely on standalone stores.

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