FreshEasy "Collaboration with Luxury Hotel Chefs and Nationwide Famous Restaurants" [The World of Convenience Foods]

Director of Business Innovation at Gugunmo Fresh Easy

Targets $5 Million Export to 15 Countries This Year
Plans to Hire Additional Food Processing Specialists

Director of Business Innovation Office, Fresh Easy, Gugunmo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] "Developers who are former chefs with over 10 years of experience at luxury hotels and renowned domestic restaurants, along with food processing experts from major Korean food corporations, collaborate to create flavors that satisfy as many customers as possible."

On the 24th, Gu Geunmo, Director of Fresh Easy's Business Innovation Office, said in an interview with Asia Economy, "Fresh Easy started its convenience food business after anticipating future changes in the Home Meal Replacement (HMR) market and considering how to stay ahead. Instead of focusing on its own brand, we supply small brand products to the market by utilizing the unique brands and recipes of various partners such as nationwide famous restaurants, influencers, and cross-industry brands."

Fresh Easy, a startup in the food industry founded in 2016, recorded sales of 188.9 billion KRW last year, achieving a 48.6% growth compared to the previous year.

Director Gu stated, "We are focusing on operating a business-to-business (B2B) 'convenience food publishing' service that supports all processes including product planning, production, distribution, and sales so that various partners can easily enter the convenience food market. We plan to additionally hire food processing specialized developers to grow into a comprehensive HMR company producing not only meal kits but all types of convenience foods."

Last year, Fresh Easy launched a total of 261 publishing products. Sales generated from publishing products account for about 30% of Fresh Easy's total meal kit sales. Director Gu emphasized, "This year, we plan to focus on overseas exports. Using the unique characteristics of meal kits that best preserve the authentic taste of Korean food as our weapon, we will accelerate our overseas expansion with a goal of exporting 5 million USD to 15 countries this year."

Since starting exports in February last year, Fresh Easy currently exports 130 types of convenience foods to seven countries: the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Philippines.