Hanwha's Acquisition of Ourhome Signals Seismic Shift in Food Service Market

STREAMLINE: Hanwha's Acquisition of Ourhome Signals Seismic Shift in Food Service Market

2025. 5. 17

Hanwha is back—and it’s not just a return. By acquiring Korea’s No. 2 food service provider, Ourhome, Hanwha is rewriting the playbook. After exiting the food service sector five years ago, Hanwha Group has re-entered with a bold vision centered on food distribution, kitchen automation, and food tech. With Ourhome's operational expertise and Hanwha’s technological edge, a new food ecosystem driven by AI and robotics is emerging.

➊ Point of View | What’s Changed

Hanwha’s acquisition of Ourhome marks a pivotal moment for Korea’s food service industry.
On May 15, 2025, Hanwha Hotel & Resort acquired a 58.62% stake in Ourhome for approximately ₩869.5 billion, officially bringing it into the Hanwha Group. The deal, led by Kim Dong-sun, Managing Director of Hanwha’s Future Vision division, was finalized after a 7-month process. This move marks Hanwha’s return to the market since selling off its food subsidiary FOODIST in 2020—but this time, it's a strategic comeback focused on tech-powered transformation, not just market share.

➋ Inside the Move | Current Strategy and Execution

Hanwha is less interested in conventional catering—and more focused on building a digital-first food material platform.

Ourhome posted ₩2.244 trillion in revenue in 2024, breaking the ₩2 trillion mark for the first time in its history.

Its portfolio includes group catering, food material distribution, home meal replacements (HMR), and F&B services at golf resorts.

Hanwha plans to embed AI, big data, and robotics into Ourhome’s operations, creating a ‘Kitchen OS’ for smart, automated kitchens.

Group affiliates such as Hanwha Advanced Materials and Hanwha Solutions are expected to be internal clients for food material supply.

➌ Business Playbook | Strategic Roadmap

Strategic Area	Execution Plan
Kitchen Automation	Deploy food robotics (cooking robots, automatic stirrers, smart prep tools)
Smart Logistics	AI-driven demand forecasting, delivery optimization, and cold chain control
Food Material Distribution	Scale B2B supply chain platform; expand to internal group demand
HMR & Restaurant	Rebrand HMR lines; enter retail and franchise markets
Global Expansion	Leverage Hanwha’s overseas network to target global food service markets

➍ Market Impact | Disrupting the “Big 5”

Korea’s food service landscape—long dominated by five players—is poised for disruption.

Market size: approx. ₩4.3 trillion. Top 5 players hold over 80% market share:

Samsung Welstory (28.5%)

Ourhome (17.9%)

Hyundai Green Food (14.7%)

CJ Freshway (10.9%)

Shinsegae Food (7.0%)

Samsung Welstory continues to feel the reputational impact of Fair Trade Commission sanctions from 2021.

Ourhome, under Hanwha, now gains financial muscle and tech-forward strategic backing.

Competition is rising not only from traditional players but also from platforms like Coupang Eats, B-Mart, and food giants like CJ CheilJedang and Pulmuone.

Food tech and B2B analytics are now central competitive levers.

➎ Competitor Matrix | Competitive Comparison

Company	Core Business	Strengths	Challenges
Samsung Welstory	Food service, distribution	Manufacturing-linked materials, market leader	Rebuilding image, global push
Hyundai Green Food	Food service, restaurants	Integrated F&B portfolio	Flat growth in food manufacturing
CJ Freshway	Distribution, food service	CJ Group synergy, B2B scaling	Expanding B2B share
Shinsegae Food	Retail, food service	Retail channel access (marts, department stores)	Strengthening B2B competitiveness
Hanwha × Ourhome	Food tech, food service	Capital, digital capability, strategic reinvestment	Brand integration, scaling innovation

➏ Beyond the Numbers | Market Signals and Strategic Variables

Labor shortages and wage inflation are pushing companies toward kitchen automation and robotics.

Datafication of B2B operations—including predictive demand, real-time procurement, and supplier optimization—is a new battlefield.

Public & school meal contracts may face structural shifts amid changing bid criteria and tech expectations.

K-Food expansion creates export opportunities for food service and packaged meals in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

➐ Summary Insight | Key Takeaway

"Food service is a tech industry now."
Hanwha isn’t just reviving Ourhome—it’s transforming it into a digital kitchen infrastructure provider. While legacy players still rely on traditional volume-based models, Hanwha is crossing boundaries between industry, technology, and supply chain, signaling a new era for Korean food service.