Beyond 100 Years, Opening a New Future:
Samyang Group

From Sugar to Alternative Sweeteners, Growing into a General Food Company

In the 1950s, Samyang Group entered the sugar industry with the goal of domestic production, as most sugar at the time was imported. Starting with sugar, the company expanded its product line to include starch, corn syrup, margarine, and shortening, promoting product diversification. In 2013, it launched the food distribution brand “ServeQ” and the hangover relief brand “Easy Tomorrow,” evolving into a comprehensive food company.
Recently, Samyang Group has been focusing on the alternative sweetener business. A key specialty product in the food sector is allulose, a rare sugar found in nature that has about 70% of the sweetness of sugar but zero calories. Its physical properties are similar to fructose, making it suitable for use in beverages, snacks, dairy products, and sauces. In 2016, Samyang Group succeeded in developing liquid allulose using its proprietary enzyme technology. After investing in production facilities, it began mass production in 2020 and received GRAS certification from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that same year, paving the way for entry into the global market. Since 2022, the company has also been producing crystalline allulose, which maintains consistent quality even during maritime transport and boasts over 99% purity. In 2024, Samyang Group completed the construction of a comprehensive specialty plant on its Ulsan factory site, establishing the country’s largest allulose production capacity at 13,000 tons per year.

Advancing Across Industries with Fiber Business Expertise

Samyang Group has leveraged its technological expertise in the fiber business to expand into eco-friendly materials, beyond its traditionally strong engineering plastics segment. The company was the first in Korea to develop isosorbide, an eco-friendly material based on 100% biomass derived from plant-based starch, and built a production plant in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do Province, in 2022. In 2023, the company developed an eco-friendly polycarbonate containing over 90% recycled polycarbonate raw materials. Recently, Samyang Group began mass-producing automotive interior and exterior components made from recycled fishing nets. It is also developing structural parts for car bodies and lightweight battery pack cases for electric vehicles.
Samyang Group has also made significant progress in the PET packaging sector. The company holds the top market share in Korea for PET bottles and has established a circular system from production to recycling, based on its fiber business expertise. In 2007, it became the first in Korea to introduce an aseptic filling system1 and has maintained a dominant 70% market share in the competitive domestic market ever since.
Samyang Group’s expertise in the fiber business has also extended to the biodegradable suture market. In 1993, the company became the first in Korea to develop biodegradable surgical sutures. In 2023, it completed the construction of a production plant in Hungary with an annual capacity of up to 100,000 km of yarn, further solidifying its market leadership through bold investments. The company is strengthening its pharmaceutical business with a portfolio of anticancer drugs targeting seven solid tumors and five blood cancers. Recently, it has been focusing on developing Stability Enhanced Nano Shells (SENS), a proprietary gene delivery platform. Samyang Group is thus positioning itself as a next-generation gene therapy platform company.

Samyang Group’s Vision to Transform Humanity’s Future

Today, Samyang Group continues to deliver strong performance across the chemical, food, packaging, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, including in prebiotics, semiconductor materials, ion exchange resins, and eco-friendly plastics. While the company has maintained consistent growth, it also redefined its strategic direction when it celebrated its 100th anniversary last October. Over the past 100 years, Samyang Group focused on providing prosperity and convenience to people. Over the next 100 years, it plans to exceed customer expectations and present new possibilities as a pioneering partner. With an open mindset, Samyang Group aims to refine its specialty business portfolio, centering on Health & Wellness and Advanced Materials, unlocking the potential of daily life and transforming humanity’s future.