Jeonnam Province Selects CEO Kim Ho-san as Rural Convergence Industry Person of September

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province announced on the 27th that it selected Kim Ho-san, CEO of the agricultural corporation Muan Hwangto Sweet Potato Business Group in Muan County, as the September Rural Convergence Industry Person.

Kim Ho-san, CEO of Muan Hwangto Sweet Potato Business Group Co., Ltd., launched the business group in 2005 together with 88 local farmers based on the ‘Muan Hwangto Sweet Potato Distribution Center.’

Located in Hyeongyeong-myeon, the facility covers a total area of 1,785㎡ with two floors above ground, housing offices, storage, packaging rooms, and a collection center.

CEO Kim launched the sweet potato brand ‘Togle Togle’ in 2008 to strengthen the marketing of Muan Hwangto sweet potatoes and enhance market competitiveness. He contributed to increasing farmers' income by popularizing scientific sweet potato storage technology and being the first in Korea to distribute new sweet potato varieties.

Sweet potatoes grown in the Muan Hwangto fields, which have a high germanium content, are rich in beta-carotene and dietary fiber compared to sweet potatoes cultivated in other regions. They are convenient as diet food, health food, snacks, and are also good as a meal substitute, making them popular among women and children.

In particular, efforts have been made in developing various processed sweet potato products, including ice roasted sweet potatoes, sweet potato rice cakes, obtaining patents for functional substances for gastric ulcer treatment, and developing distilled liquor comparable to Japanese sweet potato shochu.

To expand sales channels, the company opened its own online shopping mall ‘Togle Togle Muan Hwangto Sweet Potato’ last year, selling 1,600 tons of sweet potatoes annually along with five processed products such as ice roasted sweet potatoes, ice roasted sweet potato balls (rice cakes), dried sweet potatoes, and baked sweet potato cheese rice cakes, as well as local agricultural and marine products. Within 10 months of opening, monthly sales reached 300 million KRW.

Additionally, through various projects such as sweet potato harvesting, sweet potato vine picking, operating the Hwangto Experience Center cooking classes, and consumer invitation events, the business attracts about 500 visitors annually and has achieved an average annual sales of approximately 3 billion KRW from 2017 to 2019.

CEO Kim said, “To play a leading role in the rural convergence industry, we are planning various experience programs such as sweet potato planting and sweet potato shochu making by transforming the existing Hwangto Experience Center. We will enhance the quality of Muan Hwangto sweet potatoes through scientific research and increase the market competitiveness of the Togle Togle brand to maintain the reputation of the sweet potato production area.”

Kang Jong-cheol, Director of Agricultural Food Distribution Division of Jeonnam Province, said, “The Muan Hwangto Sweet Potato Business Group is a representative excellent case of co-growth with local farmers by creating farm income through rural convergence industrialization. We will continue to actively support administrative and financial measures to improve the added value of agricultural products and spread excellent cases of rural convergence industries that coexist and develop with the region.”

Meanwhile, Muan Hwangto new sweet potatoes are being sold for 50,000 KRW per 10kg on the ‘Togle Togle Muan Hwangto Sweet Potato’ website and Jeonnam Province’s official shopping mall ‘Namdo Jangteo.’

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