Celebrated for its exceptional standards and outstanding reputation, Hoengseong Hanwoo is widely recognized as Korea’s premier beef brand. In January 2024, the brand was inducted into the Hall of Fame after winning the Customer Satisfaction Management Award for ten consecutive years. In February, it received the Korea First Brand Award for the eighth consecutive year, and in March, it was ranked first in the Korean Industry Brand Power Index for an impressive 18th consecutive year. In addition to its accolades, Hoengseong Hanwoo achieved the Excellent Livestock Brand Certification for the 19th consecutive year in September 2023, and the National Premium Certification at the Livestock Brand Contest for the 11th consecutive year in December 2023. The brand also topped the Global Brand Competence Index for 12 consecutive years in 2021 and won the National Brand Award for three consecutive years in 2020.

The Hoengseong Livestock Cooperative manages every aspect of Hoengseong Hanwoo production through an integrated system that encompasses pedigree management, breeding, slaughter, processing and sales. The premium branding project for Hoengseong Hanwoo began in earnest in 1995, focusing on rigorous pedigree verification. Each calf is individually checked for purity and uniqueness before registration. Only members of the cooperative can purchase these true-breed calves, ensuring the preservation of the highest quality pedigrees through years of meticulous oversight. In addition, the cooperative’s genetic development program advances Hanwoo’s breeding standards by implanting embryos from elite bloodlines, producing true-breed calves and maintaining the brand’s commitment to excellence.

Uniform breeding practices and scientific quality management further underscore the superiority of Hoengseong Hanwoo. The cooperative supplies uniform feed and implements consistent management programs to ensure optimal fattening. In addition, the production base for premium steers has been expanded to produce the highest quality beef in Korea. Hoengseong Hanwoo boasts a first-grade beef yield of more than 90%, with 30% of this yield achieving top grade. The cooperative exclusively markets beef from this premium selection, ensuring that only the finest quality reaches consumers. It was also one of the first in Korea to implement a traceability system that tracks every step from birth and rearing to slaughter, processing and sales. This comprehensive approach has solidified Hoengseong Hanwoo’s reputation as a world-class brand representing Korean beef.

Over the past five years, the Hoengseong Livestock Cooperative has achieved steady growth. Annual sales were approximately KRW 114.2 billion in 2020, KRW 127 billion in 2021, KRW 138.8 billion in 2022, KRW 130 billion in 2023, and KRW 114.5 billion as of November 2024. During this period, the cooperative managed 1,188 member farms, 52,367 heads of cattle and 5,715 heads of slaughter cattle in 2020; 1,189 member farms, 53,155 heads of cattle and 6,664 heads of slaughter cattle in 2021; 1,171 member farms, 53,697 heads of cattle and 6,953 heads of slaughter cattle in 2022; 1,120 member farms, 51,170 heads of cattle and 6,849 heads of slaughter cattle in 2023; and 1,065 member farms, 48,136 heads of cattle and 6,926 heads of slaughter cattle as of November 2024. On average, the cooperative produces 150 tons of roast beef cuts, 140 tons of bone-in products, 25 tons of jerky, 2 tons of sausages, and 1 ton of tteokgalbi annually.

Since the cooperative began exporting to Hong Kong in July 2016 and Cambodia in 2017, it has achieved remarkable results: 5,400 kg worth USD 490,000 in 2020; 6,700 kg worth USD 600,000 in 2021; 5,600 kg worth USD 570,000 in 2022; 2,400 kg worth USD 350,000 in 2023; and 3,500 kg worth USD 340,000 as of November 2024. From 2016 to November 2024, the cooperative exported 47,437 kg of beef to Hong Kong, 268 kg to Cambodia in three shipments between 2017 and 2019, and 99 kg in one shipment to Mongolia.