Participation in SME Ministry and Korea Small and Medium Business Distribution Agency Program
Brand Awareness Grows Beyond Online Limitations
Monthly Sales Jump from 1.5 Million to 30 Million Won After Support
Farmer Dream, a meal replacement brand that directly cultivates oats and beans in Gunsan, has been expanding its sales and developing new distribution channels by leveraging government distribution linkage support.
According to Farmer Dream on the 29th, its flagship product, 'Oat Misutgaru,' is characterized by its savory and mild flavor, achieved by using oven-roasted oats. The company minimizes nutrient loss through a low-temperature process and reduces digestive burden by grinding the oats into a uniform particle size.
Farmer Dream is a small and medium-sized enterprise that offers meal replacements made with agricultural products from the Gunsan region. The company was founded by Lee Sungil, who worked for 27 years at a chemical company and became interested in oat cultivation. During his time at work, Lee spent weekends assisting local farmers in Gunsan and discovered the potential for oat cultivation, which inspired him to develop meal replacements using local agricultural products.
As a small business, Farmer Dream faced challenges in marketing due to limited personnel and budget. The company found a breakthrough by participating in the government's 'Large Distribution Network Linkage Support' program. This initiative, operated by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Small and Medium Business Distribution Agency, is part of a marketing support project for small and medium-sized enterprises. It helps these companies enter offline sales channels operated by major private distributors. This year, three distribution channels, including LG Uplus and KORAIL Distribution, participated in the collaboration.
Lee said, "From the perspective of a small business, ever-increasing marketing costs are inevitably a burden. While searching for ways to expand product sales nationwide, I learned about the Large Distribution Network Linkage Support program and decided to participate." He added, "After being selected as a beneficiary, we were matched with KORAIL Distribution and were able to sell our products at the SME Premium Maru stores located in Seoul Station and Daejeon Station."
Choosing to pursue offline distribution channels instead of relying solely on online sales has also been evaluated as a key factor. Lee explained, "Online sales require significant investment in detailed product pages and advertising, and the competition is fierce, making it difficult to gain exposure. On the other hand, entering large offline stores proved to be more effective in raising brand awareness."
The most significant outcome following participation in the support program has been the increase in sales. Farmer Dream's monthly average sales rose from about 1.5 million won last year to approximately 50 million won this year after joining the program. Additionally, the company achieved results such as producing promotional videos, developing its own character, and establishing more than 10 new offline sales channels.
Lee said, "Customers who purchased our products offline also visited our online store, which greatly contributed to the increase in sales. With support for video advertising at Yongsan Station, our online sales surged, and we also received B2B inquiries related to entering overseas markets such as Canada and the United States."
Looking ahead, Farmer Dream plans to enter the domestic home shopping market and further develop overseas sales channels. In addition, by developing new products such as grain-based ice cream and cookies, the company aims to establish Farmer Dream products as 'Korean-style oatmeal.'
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