Beneficiary Companies Expand into Overseas Markets and Online Sales
Daesin Agricultural Cooperative Signs $35,000 Export MOU in Russia
Gokseong Daesin Agricultural Cooperative participated in the 'K-MARKET' event hosted by the Russian Primorsky Koryo Association, held over two days starting from the 4th, conducting a melon tasting session and export consultation, receiving an explosive response from the locals. Photo by Gokseong County
Gokseong County in South Jeolla Province (Governor Cho Sangrae) is making visible progress with its "Support Project for Activating Upstream and Downstream Industries Related to Gokseong's Specialty Resources," an initiative aimed at overcoming the crisis of local extinction. According to a recent interim inspection of beneficiary companies conducted jointly with Jeonnam Technopark, the project has shown clear, positive advancements across the board.
As of October 20, the county reported that this project, operated through a budget-matching system involving the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, South Jeolla Province, and Gokseong County, is focused on fostering related industries that utilize the region's signature specialty products such as melons, taro, and powdered rice.
The project is making a significant contribution to revitalizing the local economy by strengthening the technological innovation and business capabilities of local companies and supporting their entry into overseas markets. Jeonnam Technopark and Jeonnam Bioindustry Foundation are jointly leading the project, providing multifaceted support to 33 selected companies, including securing intellectual property rights, brand development, online and overseas market expansion, and product certification.
The interim inspection, which concluded on the 2nd, comprehensively evaluated the status of each detailed project, the likelihood of achieving targets, budget execution, and difficulties faced by the companies. As a result, most participating companies demonstrated a high average progress rate of over 70%, and the likelihood of achieving project goals was assessed as very high. Some companies have already achieved the remarkable feat of completing their projects ahead of schedule.
Notable achievements by individual companies include Gasibeosi Farm, which saw a significant boost in sales by introducing a newly designed pear gift set box ahead of Chuseok. The product received an enthusiastic response from consumers upon release, resulting in a flood of repeat purchase requests. This case is analyzed as an example where new packaging design had a direct impact on enhancing brand value and increasing sales volume.
In addition, Healivery strengthened its proprietary technological competitiveness by planning to file a patent application for its herbal tea recipe in October. The company also secured placements in three major online shopping malls, including Coupang, significantly expanding its sales channels and solidifying its foundation for growth in the digital marketplace.
Daesin Agricultural Cooperative achieved outstanding results in overseas market development. Through cooperation with the Russian Overseas Business Center, the company successfully exported regional specialty products such as melons. In particular, it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for exports worth 35,000 dollars during a buyer meeting in Vladivostok.
Participating in the "K-MARKET" event hosted by the Russian Primorsky Koryo Association for two days starting from the 4th, the company held a melon tasting session and export consultation, receiving an explosive response from the locals. All prepared tasting quantities were completely consumed, demonstrating the high popularity of Gokseong melons in the Russian market. Currently, active discussions are underway with local distribution partners, which is expected to serve as an important bridgehead for the full-scale entry of Gokseong's agricultural specialty products into the Russian market.
A county official stated, "This support project for activating upstream and downstream industries related to our specialty resources is significant in that it has comprehensively elevated the technological, branding, and export capabilities of local small and medium-sized enterprises. We will do our utmost to ensure that the remaining programs, including beneficiary workshops, expert networking, and the final evaluation meeting, are successfully carried out so that the results of supporting SME growth can serve as an exemplary case for overcoming the crisis of local extinction."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
