What is the price of the truffles urgently supplied by SSG Food Market and PK Market?

'Diamond of the Earth' Truffle Priced at 590,000~980,000 KRW Launched
Traveled Across Italy for 6 Months to Visit Truffle Farms
Exclusive Contract with Umbrian Farm Harvesting Truffles for 5 Generations
New Dedicated Italy→Korea Air Direct Shipping Logistics Route Established

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Emart's premium supermarkets, SSG Food Market and PK Market, have introduced truffles, known as the "diamonds of the underground."

SSG Food Market and PK Market announced on the 25th that they urgently imported truffles from the Umbria region of Italy and are selling First Choice grade (110~130g) for 580,000 KRW, Extra grade (90~110g) for 780,000 KRW, and Super Extra grade (80~120g) for 980,000 KRW.

Italian truffles are graded based on external characteristics such as elasticity, mushroom asci, soil color, aroma, and intensity. Accordingly, SSG Food Market and PK Market set prices based on the Italian origin standards rather than weight.

Truffles are one of the most expensive food ingredients in the world. Due to their unique aroma and distinctive texture, they are considered one of the world's top three delicacies along with foie gras and caviar. Because of their high price, truffles are often used in powdered form added to dishes rather than being tasted as whole mushrooms.

To procure these truffles, SSG Food Market and PK Market spent about six months traveling throughout Italy to find truffle farms. Truffles are often found near oak roots and absorb all nutrients from the surrounding soil, possessing such strong vitality that no other plants can grow within a 10-meter radius. Therefore, truffles are naturally cultivated.

SSG Food Market and PK Market discovered a truffle farm in the Umbria region of Italy and signed an exclusive contract with the "Angelina Rozzi" farm, which has been harvesting truffles for five generations.

A new logistics route dedicated solely to truffles was also established. To deliver the truffles to Korea as fresh as possible, logistics are handled by air. When customers order truffle sets from SSG Food Market and PK Market, the truffles are harvested in Italy and shipped by air directly to the customers.

The reason SSG Food Market and PK Market went to such lengths to import truffles is that the popularity of truffles is steadily increasing in Korea despite their high price. According to export-import trade statistics, the import volume of truffles was only 100kg in 2011 but increased about 91 times to 9.1 tons last year.

Meanwhile, sales of premium gift sets at SSG Food Market and PK Market are also doing well. From the 13th of last month to the 23rd of this month, sales of Korean beef sets priced over 300,000 KRW increased by 55% compared to the same period last year. Sales of seasoning sets priced over 100,000 KRW rose by about 143%.