The health tonic food market, which was centered around dog meat, is undergoing a transformation. This change comes just six months into the grace period leading up to the enforcement of the 'Dog Meat Abolition Act' (Special Act on Prohibition of Breeding, Slaughtering, and Distribution of Dogs for Food Purposes) in 2027. While there are various alternative health food options such as duck soup, boiled chicken, and pufferfish stew, black goat is emerging as food alternative to replace the traditional dog meat soup, prompting the franchise industry to quickly enter this related market.
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the restaurant industry on the 11th, the operator of the representative Korean cuisine franchise 'Bonjuk', BonIef, has launched a health tonic specialty store brand named 'Bon Black Goat and Mushroom Samgyetang'. This began with the opening of the first black goat mushroom samgyetang store as a direct management store in Bangbae-dong, Seoul, last month.
The menu includes dishes made with black goat and chicken. The main dishes will feature black goat soup, black goat hot pot, and black goat steamed in cypress, with mushroom samgyetang and mushroom boiled chicken also prepared. The stores will also sell black goat essence as a health functional food. The model selected for promotion is trot singer Kim Yeon-ja.
In the franchise industry, there have been forecasts since last year that BonIef is preparing health food brands in anticipation of the enforcement of the Dog Meat Abolition Act, as evidenced by their trademark registrations such as 'Jangsu Jayan Black Goat'. BonIef's entry into the alternative health food franchise industry is based on the belief that the health food market itself is likely to change in conjunction with the implementation of the Dog Meat Abolition Act.
A representative of BonIef noted, "As we enter a super-aged society, we expect the trend of 'medifood' and 'care food', which focus on health and tonic, will continue." They added, "We focused on black goat, which encompasses ingredients for all seasons, while confirming through statistical data that the import volume of foreign goat meat is gradually increasing, leading to the release of this brand."
In fact, even before the law went into effect, the sale of dog meat was illegal. This is because dog meat is not included in the list of ingredients that can be used in food, as announced by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. According to Article 7 of the Food Sanitation Act, those who sell, manufacture, or prepare food that is not a legally defined food ingredient may face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won.
However, until now, enforcement has been passive due to a lack of social consensus. There was also controversy over food culture based on customs, and the industry was made up largely of self-employed individuals, leading to significant resistance due to livelihood concerns. This is why restaurants with signs saying 'dog meat soup' or 'dog meat tonic' have been operating openly.
However, the situation is somewhat different now. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is displaying a different stance than before. A representative from the Ministry said in a conversation with ChosunBiz, "As it is a grace period, we will focus on supporting the policy budget related to industry transition, and check plans may emerge beginning in February 2027 with the enforcement of the law."
In response, self-employed individuals in the dog meat soup business are actively pursuing industry changes. A self-employed individual in Mangwon-dong, Seoul, stated, "The implementation details are announced semiannually based on the industry change plan submitted to the local government," adding, "I hope to work in an industry that is viewed more positively socially."
The market size for black goat as a substitute for dog meat is already growing. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the number of goats raised in the country increased from 280,000 in 2015 to 430,000 in 2022. The goat livestock auction market has also expanded. Originally, there were only two venues, the Chungju Agricultural Cooperatives established in 2007 and the Buyeo Agricultural Cooperatives opened in 2020, but last year, 15 additional livestock auction markets were opened.
Goat prices are also on the rise. According to the Chungju Agricultural Cooperatives, as of February, the average transaction price for female goats is around 20,000 won per kilogram. Considering that the price was around 5,000 won per kilogram in 2018, this represents a fourfold increase.
With the increase in demand, imports of goat meat are also rising. Goat meat imported from Australia increased from 1,250 tons in 2019 to 5,995 tons in 2023. Goat meat from Mongolia has also been making inroads into the Korean market. Several Mongolian meat processing plants have been confirmed to have received formal registration as new processing companies with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety last year to export goat meat.
A representative from the food service industry stated, "Black goat is already popular as a health functional food such as essence, and its texture, cooking methods, and fat composition are very similar to the dog meat soup previously enjoyed, making it likely to establish itself in the market." They added, "The possibility of expanding the black goat market is high."