"Andong's Flavors and Industries Put to the Test"

Opening Sales Channels Through Buyer Verification
Taking the Next Step in Growth with Youth Policies

Andong City has taken direct steps to verify the market competitiveness of its regional products and has officially launched an industrial expansion strategy combined with youth policies.

On January 13, Andong City held the "Andong Regional Product Evaluation Meeting" at the Apple Lounge of the College of Social Sciences at Kyungpook National University. The event focused on professional evaluations of outstanding products from local companies and discussed ways to connect these products to distribution channels. Administration, businesses, and distributors gathered at one table to seek practical solutions for expanding sales channels.

Kwon Ki-chang, mayor of Andong City (center), is attending the Andong regional product evaluation meeting and talking with related personnel.

Sixteen food and processed goods companies from Andong participated in the event, showcasing products that reflect the region's identity, including sauces, processed agricultural goods, processed foods, and alcoholic beverages. Representatives from Gyeongbuk Trading Corporation and distribution experts attended as buyers, evaluating the products from various perspectives such as product quality, price competitiveness, and market suitability.

The program began with company introductions, followed by product tastings and evaluations, one-on-one customized consultations with buyers, and a networking meeting. On-site, practical advice was shared, including package improvements, cost structure adjustments, and target market selection, offering realistic solutions for expanding distribution.

In particular, during the youth business roundtable, Andong City's overall youth policies were introduced, and business owners directly expressed the challenges they face in the field. Based on these discussions, the city plans to further specify its policy direction to achieve co-growth between local companies and young people by 2026.

An official from Andong City stated, "This evaluation meeting was an opportunity for companies, buyers, and the administration to communicate and realistically assess the potential for expanding sales channels. We will continue to strengthen the competitiveness of local companies and link them with youth policies to build a sustainable regional industrial ecosystem."

This evaluation meeting demonstrates Andong City's policy shift to prove the competitiveness of local products in the language of the market, moving beyond the limitation that "regional products are consumed only within the region." Rather than a mere showcase event, the city accepted direct evaluations from buyers and brought youth and industrial policies to the same table, which is noteworthy. The key now is how much these efforts will lead to actual distribution contracts and policy improvements. With the tastes and industries of Andong now being put to the test, the time has already come to deliver results.