Lotte Mart Sells Domestically Developed New Apple Variety 'Rubies'

A customer is looking at Rubies mini apples at a Lotte Mart in Seoul. (Photo by Lotte Mart)

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Lotte Mart announced on the 14th that it will sell 'Rubies' mini apples at all its stores nationwide.

Rubies is a domestic variety bred and selected by the Rural Development Administration in 2015. It features a sweet and tangy taste, is less than half the size of regular apples, but has a higher sugar content and a good texture.

Rubies, a domestic apple variety grown in Yeongcheon, Gyeongbuk, is about the size of a ping-pong ball, weighing approximately 70-80g, and is harvested at the end of August.

Last year, Lotte Mart collaborated with the Yeongcheon Rubies Distribution Center and farming groups to launch about 2 tons of Rubies, which sold out completely. This year, they plan to purchase and offer about 50 tons in cooperation with the Yeongcheon Rubies Distribution Center.

Generally, apples produced domestically are mostly 'Busa' apples represented by the 'Fuji' variety, accounting for about 70% year-round, while summer apples are mainly the foreign variety called 'Aori'. As a result, the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science has continuously worked since the early 2000s to develop and distribute domestic varieties, introducing various domestic varieties such as the light green summer apple 'Summer King' and the autumn apple 'Arisu'.

Lotte Mart operates autumn season fresh apples mainly with domestic varieties along with Rubies apples and is actively expanding domestic varieties. A representative product, the 'Hongro' apple, is highly popular in the autumn season due to its high sugar content and low acidity among apple varieties. They also plan to actively expand domestic varieties such as 'Summer King' and 'Arisu'.

The expansion of new domestic varieties is based on Lotte Mart's upstream purchasing strategy for production areas. Upstream refers to a direct purchasing method where product planners are involved in the entire production process from cultivation to harvest and shipment.

Using the upstream purchasing method, Lotte Mart purchases in bulk not only Rubies but also Pohang apples and Naju house-grown Singo pears, conducting its own grading process to offer competitive products.

Lee Eunseung, head of Lotte Mart's Fresh Food Division 1, said, "Lotte Mart continues to discover excellent local agricultural products," adding, "We will continue to provide stable sales channels to farmers and offer customers reliable and excellent products."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.