In 1991, a little Korean family decided to take on the adventure of a lifetime and immigrate to South Africa.

Back then, there were only a few Koreans living in South Africa. There was also a very small Asian community and the supply of Asian food products was extremely difficult to find.

China town was developed at the end of Commissioner Street in Johannesburg town, but even then, the food products were limited.
People mostly had what they brought back from their home countries, sharing with those around them. Expired noodles were served only when there were important guests in the house.

Living in a foreign country and craving home food made us all homesick, not only for the food but for our family too. All Ok Joo Lee, (who was the mother of the Korean family), wanted to have was some hot spicy fresh Korean noodles to ease the craving for home.

One day Mrs. Lee decided to bring Korean noodles to South Africa,
she couldn’t even speak proper English, but she studied and learned how to import products from her home country. She then finally decided in 1995 to open her own import company in South Africa, and named her company HANKOOK TRADING.

And what did the first container from Korea have inside you might ask? Nothing else but noodles!

Thinking back now on how her journey started Mrs. Lee said; “I brought it thinking that if I can’t sell it, I will eat it all by myself!”

She started her business in her garage, but the garage was too small for a 20ft container. Noodle boxes were in the living room, kitchen, even in her bedroom…but she was happy. Not only was she happy, but her family, and the little Asian community who was living in South Africa.

With the support of the Asian community, she decided to open her first store in Rivonia Johannesburg. It was an 80m2 store and mostly had Asian customers and slowly it started to grow.

She started distributing to Chinese wholesalers and supplying to restaurants one store after the other. Not only did she supply food products from Korea but Asia in general.

Many South Africans didn’t know a lot or anything at all about Korean or Asian food in general. Back then there were only a few Chinese takeaway stores and restaurants. But with globalization, and many foreign countries’ input and South Africa becoming a multi-national and multi-cultural nation, today Asian food is also part of South Africa’s daily meals.

Years later Hankook trading established WEMACO Holdings to start local distribution in South Africa, operating three stores with local distribution outlets as the ‘Heart of Asian Food”.

In 1991, a little Korean family decided to take on the adventure of a lifetime and immigrate to South Africa.

Back then, there were only a few Koreans living in South Africa. There was also a very small Asian community and the supply of Asian food products was extremely difficult to find.

China town was developed at the end of Commissioner Street in Johannesburg town, but even then, the food products were limited.
People mostly had what they brought back from their home countries, sharing with those around them. Expired noodles were served only when there were important guests in the house.

Living in a foreign country and craving home food made us all homesick, not only for the food but for our family too. All Ok Joo Lee, (who was the mother of the Korean family), wanted to have was some hot spicy fresh Korean noodles to ease the craving for home.

One day Mrs. Lee decided to bring Korean noodles to South Africa,
she couldn’t even speak proper English, but she studied and learned how to import products from her home country. She then finally decided in 1995 to open her own import company in South Africa, and named her company HANKOOK TRADING.

And what did the first container from Korea have inside you might ask? Nothing else but noodles!

Thinking back now on how her journey started Mrs. Lee said; “I brought it thinking that if I can’t sell it, I will eat it all by myself!”

She started her business in her garage, but the garage was too small for a 20ft container. Noodle boxes were in the living room, kitchen, even in her bedroom…but she was happy. Not only was she happy, but her family, and the little Asian community who was living in South Africa.

With the support of the Asian community, she decided to open her first store in Rivonia Johannesburg. It was an 80m2 store and mostly had Asian customers and slowly it started to grow.