Jung Yong-jin and Baek Jong-won’s 'Motnani Magic'... This Time 300 Tons of Wang Goguma

Vice Chairman Jeong Yong-jin Responds Again to Baek Jong-won's SOS Call

Activating Consumption of Ugly Sweet Potatoes Overproduced in Haenam

From Today, Regular Sweet Potatoes at Half Price at E-Mart and Others

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] 'Farmer's Tall Uncle' Jeong Yong-jin, Vice Chairman of Shinsegae Group (left), has stepped up to help sweet potato farmers after assisting with ugly potatoes. This time, it is 300 tons of sweet potatoes left as inventory after being rejected in the market.

E-Mart announced on the 23rd that it plans to open sales channels for ugly and elongated sweet potatoes overproduced in Haenam, Jeollanam-do, to promote consumption. Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, who appears on SBS variety show "Delicious Rendezvous," requested the purchase, and Vice Chairman Jeong Yong-jin accepted, starting the "Ugly King Sweet Potato" sales project. In the broadcast preview, CEO Baek asked Vice Chairman Jeong, "Please purchase 450 tons of king sweet potatoes from Haenam, Jeollanam-do, which have low marketability." Vice Chairman Jeong smiled, somewhat embarrassed by the 450-ton inventory, and replied, "I will look into it," then decided to sell a total of 300 tons through five companies including E-Mart.

Three companies?E-Mart (213 tons), SSG.com (7 tons), and E-Mart Everyday (12 tons)?will sell "Haenam Ugly King Sweet Potatoes" at prices more than 50% cheaper than regular sweet potatoes for three weeks starting from the 23rd. An E-Mart official explained, "Out of the 450 tons of inventory from the farm featured on the broadcast, 250 tons have already been sold through other channels," adding, "We decided to sell 300 tons by combining the remaining 200 tons from that farm with inventory from other farms."

The price is 9,980 KRW for 3 kg (one bag). When purchased with any of eight types of credit cards, a 40% discount applies, allowing consumers to buy a large 3 kg bag at the price of 1.3 kg (one bag) of regular sweet potatoes, which is 5,988 KRW. With sweet potato prices rising recently, this is a good opportunity for consumers. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, as of the 22nd, the average retail price of sweet potatoes per kilogram was 4,412 KRW, up 13% compared to the average year.

Shinsegae TV Shopping will sell "Haenam Honey Sweet Potatoes," a mixed 8 kg large package of regular and ugly sweet potatoes, for 24,900 KRW on the 23rd and 27th. Shinsegae Food plans to purchase 3 tons and commercialize it as "Sweet Potato Condensed Milk Bread."

Since December last year, E-Mart has contributed to consumption promotion through a win-win project supporting farmers. By purchasing products in bulk and selling them at low prices, it creates a win-win situation for both consumers and farmers. The first products of the farmer support project were Gangneung sand lance and ugly potatoes. The Gangneung sand lance sold in December last year was priced at 250 KRW per fish. Ugly potatoes were the first product Baek requested Vice Chairman Jeong to purchase. At that time, E-Mart purchased 30 tons of ugly potatoes, which sold out within two days.

In particular, E-Mart has taken the lead in helping farmers struggling due to reduced consumption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the "Gyeongbuk Agricultural Products Fair," held for a week starting from the 2nd, with about 4 billion KRW worth of products, E-Mart sold apples sourced from Yeongju, Mungyeong, and Andong, Seongju melons, rice harvested in Gimcheon and Uiseong, as well as spinach from Yeongdeok, minari from Cheongdo, and peeled garlic from Uiseong at prices 20-40% cheaper than usual. In the Gyeongbuk region, a Gyeongbuk product exhibition was held to clear farmers' inventory, and about 1% of the sales amount was donated to snack expenses for children's centers in rural Gyeongbuk through the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation.

Last month, E-Mart sold Bojogae apples and freshwater eels. Bojogae apples, also called "ugly apples," have blemishes or spots due to typhoon or hail damage but have no taste issues. The store selected apples with a sugar content of 13 Brix or higher. The sales volume reached about 400 tons, 2.6 times the usual weekly apple event volume of 150 tons at E-Mart. E-Mart also contributed to promoting consumption of large freshwater eels by holding an event selling about 600 million KRW (20 tons) worth over a week. E-Mart sold large freshwater eels, which are twice the size of regular eels, at half the price of regular eels, 17,900 KRW (400-550g).