Jeju Seafood from Dawn Auctions, Delivered Six Days a Week via Dawn Delivery
Wow Members in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, 600 km from Jeju, Can Also Purchase
Boosting Sales and Employment for Local Small and Medium-Sized Seafood Companies
Since July 1, Coupang's direct air shipment of Jeju seafood, including fresh hairtail and tilefish, delivered via dawn delivery, has been contributing to the growth of local small and medium-sized enterprises.
According to Coupang on August 8, Jeju-based seafood company Changhae Seafood expects sales of 200 million to 300 million won by the end of the year from just hairtail and tilefish. Moon Sungik, CEO of Changhae Seafood, said, "During the month of July, 150 to 200 kilograms (200 to 300 sets) of fresh hairtail were delivered nationwide every day through Coupang's dawn delivery," adding, "We plan to increase production and expand to 700 to 1,000 sets per day in the future." As demand for air-shipped fresh hairtail surged, Changhae Seafood recently established a new 496-square-meter (about 150 pyeong) factory and hired 15 additional employees.
Direct air shipment of Jeju seafood is available for purchase six days a week, from Monday to Saturday, except for Sundays when local auctions are not held. Coupang Wow members who place an order by 1 p.m. can receive their products by 7 a.m. the next day. Since Coupang established a fresh food fulfillment center in Jeju earlier this year, Wow members in Jeju can also receive fresh seafood such as hairtail via dawn delivery.
The air shipment process begins with local seafood companies winning bids for fresh hairtail at Jeju Hanlim Fisheries Cooperative Auction House and Seogwipo Auction House around 6 a.m. The seafood companies then conduct inspection and washing, trimming, and vacuum packaging in the morning, and process shipping labels according to customer orders. To maintain freshness, products are packed with sufficient ice packs and styrofoam packaging, then shipped on afternoon flights to Gimpo and Gimhae Airports. After passing through Coupang's logistics centers and delivery camps, the products are delivered to customers nationwide by dawn the next day.
Previously, Coupang had been using its logistics infrastructure in over 30 regions and more than 100 facilities nationwide to deliver abalone and other seafood from Jeolla and Gyeongsang provinces directly from the source, immediately inspecting and labeling the products as soon as they were secured in the morning. However, for Jeju seafood such as silver hairtail, physical limitations existed due to the sea barrier. After considering solutions, the Coupang Rocket Fresh team integrated air transportation into its end-to-end logistics process, in which Coupang takes responsibility for the product from shipment to final delivery.
Wi Seongon, a Democratic Party lawmaker representing Seogwipo, Jeju, said, "The fact that seafood carefully caught by Seogwipo fishermen can reach the tables of consumers nationwide in less than a day is an innovative change in the distribution network," adding, "I hope this will provide relief to local fishermen and seafood companies who have been struggling with declining catches and sluggish sales channels."
Coupang also plans to air-ship other seafood such as croaker, flatfish, squid, horned conch, and sea urchin according to their fishing seasons. Lee Sunghan, head of Coupang Rocket Fresh, said, "We plan to expand nationwide sales channels for more small and medium-sized companies and fishermen in Jeju by utilizing air transportation so they can increase their income," adding, "We will do our best to innovate in delivery and product development for our customers."
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