Shinsegae Department Store Expands Sales Channels for Local Ingredients... 'Local is Shinsegae' Popup

From July 3-9, Gwangju and Jeonnam Specialties Featured
Haenam Black Barley and Gangjin Oats... Central Asian-style Tteokgalbi Also Included

Shinsegae Department Store is expanding the market for local ingredients.

Shinsegae Department Store, 'Local is Shinsegae in Gwangju & Jeonnam' [Photo by Shinsegae Department Store].

Shinsegae Department Store announced on the 31st that from November 3 to 9, it will hold a popup store called 'Local is Shinsegae In(in) Gwangju & Jeonnam' at its Gangnam, Main, Centum City, and Gwangju Shinsegae locations. This popup will introduce Jeonnam ingredients and foods that reflect the unique characteristics of the Gwangju region.

Shinsegae Department Store expects this popup to open sales channels for local fruit, vegetable, seafood, and livestock farmers, while giving department store customers the opportunity to taste fresh regional specialty ingredients.

The representative products sold at the popup include Haenam black barley, Gangjin oats, and Chamgulbi, which are known for their high quality grown in Jeonnam’s favorable climate. There are also special dishes available only at this popup. Shinsegae will introduce 'Kofta,' known as the so-called 'Goryeo people's Tteokgalbi.' It will be exclusively sold at the Gangnam and Centum City stores. Kofta is a traditional Central Asian dish made by shaping finely minced meat and vegetables into balls, similar to Tteokgalbi. Shinsegae explained that they launched Kofta inspired by the fact that Gwangju is the origin of Tteokgalbi and home to the 'Goryeo-in Village.'

Kofta was first introduced at a workshop dining event held last month with 10 customers selected from the 'Local is Shinsegae' domestic travel review contest hosted by Shinsegae Department Store. At that time, they collaborated with 'Our Planet,' a gourmet research institute aiming for sustainable dining, to reinterpret Jeonnam specialty ingredients into various menus. Among them, Kofta received a good response as an exotic dish that perfectly suits Korean tastes.

Starting with Gwangju and Jeonnam, Shinsegae Department Store plans to continue projects to discover hidden ingredients nationwide and commercialize and promote local specialties widely.