"Ugly is Okay"... B-Grade Agricultural Products Popular Amid High Inflation

11st, Uglyvely Transaction Amount 7x Increase
SSG.com, Ugly Fruit and Vegetable Special Exhibition

Ugly Lovely Agricultural Products of 11st. (Photo by 11st)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Recently, as high inflation continues, the number of consumers seeking ‘B-grade agricultural products’ in the distribution industry has increased.

According to 11st on the 2nd, the transaction amount of Uglybly surged sevenfold compared to the previous year from the 1st to the 25th of last month. The cumulative number of viewers for the two Uglybly live broadcasts held this month reached 670,000.

Uglybly is 11st’s producer collaboration brand that gathers and showcases imperfect agricultural products that have blemishes or uneven shapes and colors during the cultivation process. The number of items sold has expanded from 8 types in August 2020 to 29 this year, including plums, flat peaches, and Shine Muscat grapes. Seasonally, a variety of products are offered, ranging from agricultural products such as mini chestnut pumpkins, potatoes, and sweet potatoes to seafood such as rockfish, mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and cutlassfish, with prices on average 20-30% cheaper than regular products.

SSG.com is holding a ‘Ugly Fruit and Vegetable Fair with Farmers’ until the 5th. It offers fruits and vegetables that have no quality issues but have blemishes or irregular sizes and shapes at prices discounted up to half off.

For this event, SSG.com directly purchased fruits and vegetables that are difficult to sell from excellent farms nationwide. This is to promote the sales of these products mainly in the metropolitan area, where about 50% of the national population is concentrated, through the online-exclusive logistics center ‘Neo.’

An official from the distribution industry said, “As soaring prices expand customers’ frugal consumption trends, the popularity of cost-effective brands has increased. Not only are the prices reasonable, but the product quality is also excellent, resulting in a high repurchase rate among customers. The collaboration stories with local farms and small and medium-sized brands are also a popular secret that customers empathize with.”