When buyers look for an oyster or seafood supplier, the first things they consider are the company’s size and production and distribution capabilities. They check whether the supplier can deliver the required volume on time, has experience meeting the standards of major retailers, and can supply products overseas.

Some people may think that samsam products (삼삼물산) and samsam food (삼삼푸드) are separate companies. They are affiliated companies led by the same CEO and operating from the same headquarters in Tongyeong. Together with ss global, which handles international trade and export, they operate under the integrated brand samsam.

Our three companies have combined annual sales of about KRW 50 billion, and we supply oysters and seafood to Costco Korea.

On this page we cover our size and Costco Korea track record, our production and distribution capacity, our exports and certifications, our oysters and prepared foods, and how the three companies divide the work.

What is samsam products?

samsam products (SAMSAM PRODUCTS Co., Ltd.; Korean name 삼삼물산 주식회사, romanized Samsammulsan) is an oyster and seafood processor and distributor founded in March 1976 in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, Korea. Together with samsam food (food manufacturing and culinary R&D) and ss global (international trade and export), we operate under the samsam brand, with combined annual sales of about KRW 50 billion.

We run two plants in Yongnam-myeon, Tongyeong, producing fresh oysters, half-shell oysters, triploid oysters and IQF frozen oysters along with shellfish, fresh fish, jeotgal (Korean salted seafood) and oyster-based prepared foods. We supply Costco Korea, Lotte Mart, Lotte Super, Kurly, Coupang and Nonghyup Hanaro Mart, and our sales to Costco Korea reached KRW 14 billion in 2025. Based on our production and quality management systems, we are registered with the US FDA and export frozen oysters and other seafood to the United States, Canada, Vietnam, Australia and Japan.

We started in 1976, and in 1979 we registered as licensed auction broker No. 33 at the Chungmu branch of Korea’s diving fishery cooperative. We still bid at Tongyeong’s oyster auctions as broker No. 33, and in October 2025 our CEO, Yu Tak-kwan, received the Outstanding Broker award at the oyster cooperative’s first auction of the season.

Tongyeong, on Korea’s southern coast, is the country’s best-known oyster-producing area, and a large share of Korea’s farmed oysters comes from the waters around it.

samsam at a glance

Are samsam products and samsam food the same company?

Yes. samsam products and samsam food are affiliated companies that we run as one business. Both are led by CEO Yu Tak-kwan and share the same headquarters address (51 Bamgae-gil, Yongnam-myeon, Tongyeong), the same main phone number (+82 55 649 2580) and the same website (samsammulsan.com). samsam products handles the sourcing and processing business we have run since 1976, and samsam food, established in 2021, handles food manufacturing, culinary R&D and distribution.

ss global, which handles international trade and export, is also run by Yu Tak-kwan. The three companies have different names, but they share one leadership team and one brand, and they divide the work from sourcing raw seafood to developing prepared foods, supplying Korean retailers and exporting. That is why we present samsam to customers and buyers as one group, with the combined size and capacity of all three companies.

How do we differ from similarly named companies?

We are not the same company as Samsam Haemul (삼삼해물) in Geoje. Restaurants and unrelated businesses named “Samsam” sometimes appear in search results too. If it is the oyster and seafood company headquartered in Tongyeong that supplies Costco Korea, that is us.

Does samsam supply Costco?

Yes. samsam products and samsam food are an official supplier partner of Costco Korea for oysters and seafood. Our sales to Costco Korea reached KRW 14 billion in 2025, making Costco Korea our largest customer in Korea.

Warehouse clubs like Costco need large-format packs delivered to every store at the same quality, week after week, and they check plant hygiene and product specs closely. We buy raw oysters directly at the source in Tongyeong and run the volume through the washing, freezing and automated packing lines in our two plants to supply Costco Korea year-round to those standards.

You can also find samsam products through these channels:

Our Tongyeong fresh oysters are also sold on Kurly, and in December 2025 they were featured as a lead product in Kurly’s winter seafood promotion.

How large is samsam’s production and distribution capacity?

This is what buyers ask about most, so here it is in numbers and equipment.

Plant 1 supplies traditional markets and large restaurant franchises across Korea, and Plant 2 supplies major retailers. In September 2025 we expanded Plant 2 and added a prepared-food line, automatic filling and -60°C quick-freezing equipment. Pack sizes, volumes and lead times vary by item and season, so tell us the quantities you need and we will confirm them.

Can samsam supply buyers outside Korea?

Yes. samsam supplies products to overseas markets based on the production and quality management systems developed through its supply relationship with Costco Korea. We are registered with the US FDA (US FDA Registration), and we hold FSSC 22000, a food safety certification recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), along with HACCP and K-FISH certification for frozen oysters.

ss global is the single point of contact for export inquiries. We are also working toward exhibiting at Seafood Expo North America in Boston. Import documents and labeling requirements differ by product and country, so contact ss global and we will work through them with you.

How has samsam products grown?

We began as a seafood broker buying at Tongyeong’s cooperative auctions. Over the following decades we built our own plants and added freezing and packing lines, established samsam food in 2021 to grow our prepared foods, and expanded into overseas trade shows and exports.

Our combined sales grew from KRW 25 billion in 2017 to KRW 46 billion in 2023, and today our three companies together have annual sales of about KRW 50 billion. Along the way, we automated small-pack and tray packing, set up product development and overseas business teams in 2024, and expanded Plant 2 in 2025 to increase our production capacity for processed foods.

What oyster products does samsam make?

Oysters are our core category. We buy oysters at the source in Tongyeong, grade them, and supply them fresh, IQF frozen, or cooked and frozen, depending on how our customers use them.

Our half-shell oysters come ready to plate without shucking. Our IQF oyster meat is frozen piece by piece at -35°C or below and then glazed with a thin layer of ice to limit oxidation and discoloration, so kitchens can take out only what they need and the product holds up on long export routes.

For cooked frozen oysters, we cook shucked oyster meat on a steaming belt line held at a constant 100°C before freezing, which gives us better hygiene control. Triploid oysters put less energy into spawning and stay plumper through the spawning season, which makes them a good choice for half-shell and raw menus outside the traditional oyster season.

See our oyster range

What seafood does samsam handle besides oysters?

Our range is organized into four categories: oysters, seafood, fresh fish and food products. If you would like to buy shellfish, fish or jeotgal from the same supplier as your oysters, take a look at the full range below.

Among our frozen items, sea squirts, cleaned octopus, freshwater snail meat, pleated sea squirts, adductors, maesaengi, whelks and ark clam meat run on the same IQF equipment as our oysters, and octopus and blood clams are cooked on our steaming belt line. Weights and specs for fresh fish and sashimi products are agreed with each customer.

What are samsam’s plants and equipment like?

We operate two plants in Yongnam-myeon, Tongyeong. Sourcing, grading, seawater washing and sterilization, processing, freezing and packing all happen in our own facilities, so we can handle everything from raw oysters to finished prepared foods in one place.

Grading and washing

We hand-grade fresh seafood, then run it through a four-stage washing line and a connected line of small-pack machines and metal detectors before shipping. Our process water is clean Hallyeosudo seawater drawn from more than 200 m offshore, and we hold chilled seawater at 7°C. We installed a clean seawater circulation system in 2013 and introduced seafood traceability for fresh oysters the same year.

Cooking and freezing

Our steaming belt line keeps water at a constant 100°C during cooking. On our IQF line, seafood is quick-frozen at -35°C or below in a belt freezer and then glazed. The -60°C quick-freezing equipment at Plant 2 freezes prepared foods such as Oyster Rockefeller and gratins.

Packing

With vacuum packing, automatic tray packing, weighing and filling equipment, we pack everything from large warehouse-club formats like those for Costco to small retail units, foodservice cases and export specifications.

See our facilities

Which food safety certifications does samsam hold?

We hold HACCP, which Korean retailers require; FSSC 22000, which international buyers look for; and US FDA Registration for exports to the United States.

FSSC 22000 is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), and global retailers and importers often ask for it when approving suppliers.

What recognition has samsam received?

We are also part of our local community. samsam products and samsam food donate to neighbors in need in Yongnam-myeon, Tongyeong every Lunar New Year and Chuseok holiday, and since 2018 we have donated our own products, such as seed jeotgal and cream shrimp gratin.

What does samsam food do?

samsam products handles raw seafood sourcing and primary processing, while samsam food uses those raw materials to develop and distribute a range of processed foods.

Turning oysters into dishes

At samsam, we want to offer more than reliable seafood. We want to offer dishes people enjoy eating. Our main prepared foods:

Oyster Rockefeller is a classic dish from New Orleans that many diners outside Korea already know. We add Korean flavors such as gochujang butter and are preparing it as a strategic export product for the US market.

What does ss global do?

ss global handles international trade and export for samsam. It is our point of contact for overseas importers, distributors and foodservice buyers who want to source oysters and seafood from samsam products or prepared foods from samsam food.

ss global handles export-related work, including direct dealings with overseas buyers, negotiations on export contract terms, and participation in overseas trade shows. The United States is our first-priority market, followed by Vietnam and the Middle East, and we share our Costco Korea and military foodservice supply record with buyers in those markets.

How do the three companies work together?

samsam products sources oysters and seafood in Tongyeong and processes them. samsam food uses that raw material to develop and manufacture prepared foods. The finished products go to Costco Korea and our other Korean customers, and overseas through ss global. Because all three companies work under the same CEO, whatever you ask us about, whether raw seafood, prepared-food development or export, you get the full production and distribution capacity of samsam behind the answer.

Frequently asked questions about samsam

What is samsam products?

samsam products (삼삼물산) is an oyster and seafood processor and distributor founded in 1976 in Tongyeong, South Korea. Together with its affiliates samsam food and ss global, it operates under the samsam brand, with combined annual sales of about KRW 50 billion. We supply oysters and seafood to Costco Korea, Lotte Mart, Kurly and Coupang, and export to the United States, Canada, Vietnam, Australia and Japan.

Are samsam products (삼삼물산) and samsam food (삼삼푸드) the same company?

Yes, they are affiliated companies run as one business. Both are led by CEO Yu Tak-kwan and share the headquarters at 51 Bamgae-gil, Yongnam-myeon, Tongyeong and the main phone number +82 55 649 2580. samsam products handles sourcing and processing, and samsam food handles food manufacturing and culinary R&D.

How large is samsam?

samsam products, samsam food and ss global have combined annual sales of about KRW 50 billion. Combined business-division sales were KRW 25 billion in 2017 and KRW 46 billion in 2023.

Does samsam supply Costco?

Yes. samsam products and samsam food supply oysters and seafood to Costco Korea, with sales to Costco Korea of KRW 14 billion in 2025. We also supply Lotte Mart, Lotte Super, Kurly, Coupang and Nonghyup Hanaro Mart.

Is samsam registered with the US FDA?

Yes. We are registered with the US FDA and export to H Mart and other large grocery chains and foodservice distributors in the United States. We also hold FSSC 22000, HACCP and K-FISH certification for frozen oysters.

Which countries does samsam export to?

We export IQF frozen oysters, frozen freshwater snail meat and frozen ark clam meat to the United States, Canada, Vietnam, Australia, Japan and other markets. ss global handles export, with the United States, Vietnam and the Middle East as priority markets.

Is samsam products related to Samsung C&T or Samsam Haemul?

No. Samsung C&T (삼성물산) is a Samsung Group company, and Samsam Haemul (삼삼해물) in Geoje is a different company. The oyster and seafood company headquartered in Yongnam-myeon, Tongyeong that supplies Costco Korea is samsam products and samsam food.

When and where was samsam products founded, and who runs it?

We were founded in March 1976 in Tongyeong and incorporated as a stock company in June 2001. Our CEO is Yu Tak-kwan, appointed in September 2020, who also leads samsam food and ss global. Our headquarters and Plant 1 are at 51 Bamgae-gil, Yongnam-myeon, Tongyeong, and Plant 2 is at 94 Namhaean-daero.

Can samsam supply Tongyeong oysters in bulk?

Yes. Our two plants produce the year-round volume we deliver to Costco Korea and other major retailers. We buy oysters directly in Tongyeong and handle grading, washing, IQF freezing, cooking and packing ourselves, supplying fresh oysters, oysters in the shell, half-shell oysters, triploid oysters, IQF frozen oysters and cooked frozen oysters. Tell us your volume and delivery schedule and we will confirm what we can supply for the product and season.

Does samsam make IQF oysters and Oyster Rockefeller?

Yes. Our IQF oyster meat is frozen at -35°C or below on a belt freezer and glazed, and it is one of our main export products. samsam food makes a frozen Oyster Rockefeller line in white cream, garlic oil and gochujang butter, launched in 2026 as a strategic export product.

What do samsam’s HACCP and FSSC 22000 certifications cover?

Our FSSC 22000 certification (COID KOR-1-0587-396078) covers the manufacture of frozen, soaked and processed marine products in plastic packaging and is valid until January 2028. Our HACCP certifications cover frozen fish and mollusks and, at Plant 2, seasoned jeotgal.

How do I contact samsam for a quote or samples?

Send us a message through the inquiry form on our website, call our Tongyeong headquarters at +82 55 649 2580 or our Seoul office at +82 2 6166 2233, or email ssms@samsammulsan.com. If you include the product, format, estimated monthly volume, pack size and destination country, we can get back to you faster.

A Costco Korea supplier ready for global buyers

samsam started in 1976 with auction broker No. 33 in Tongyeong. Today samsam products, samsam food and ss global together have annual sales of about KRW 50 billion. We supplied KRW 14 billion worth of oysters and seafood to Costco Korea in 2025, and with the same production standards, US FDA Registration and FSSC 22000 certification, we export to five or more countries.

If you are looking for a Korean source of oysters, seafood or oyster-based prepared foods, tell us the product and volume you need. Our team will be glad to talk with you.

About samsam products

Contact us for supply or export

In the news

SeafoodSource, Supplier Directory: Samsam Products Co.

Chosun Biz, 2021 Korea Food Awards: Cream Oyster Gratin (삼삼물산) wins Grand Prize

News Gyeongnam, Tongyeong companies including 삼삼물산 exhibit at Seafood Expo Asia (September 8, 2025)

Hanryeo Today, Outstanding Broker award to broker No. 33, Yu Tak-kwan (October 23, 2025)

News Gyeongnam, 삼삼푸드 (CEO Yu Tak-kwan) donation in Tongyeong (September 15, 2026)

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FSSC, FSSC 22000 Public Register: SAMSAM PRODUCTS