Baek Jong-won's Power... Sold Out Immediately Upon Release

Emart Collaborates to Support Korean Farmers
Following Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes, Apple Products
Sell Out Online and Offline Immediately After Release
Convenience Store CU Also Sells Out 'Apple Pie'

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Emart, together with Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, has once again sold out a product launched to support local farmers. Previously securing sales channels for potatoes, sweet potatoes, and sea eel, Emart has now taken on promoting apples from Yesan, Chungnam.

According to the distribution industry on the 26th, the 'Matnam Plaza Sweet Square Apple Jam' (Sweet Square Apple Jam) launched by Emart in mid-October sold out both offline and online last week (October 19 to October 23). Due to high popularity, Emart has placed a second order and plans to release the second batch around mid-November.

Sweet Square Apple Jam was planned after CEO Baek, who appeared on SBS's 'Matnam Plaza' on the 8th, requested Emart to secure sales channels for Yesan apples suffering from poor sales due to cold damage and consecutive monsoons. On the show, CEO Baek made apple preserves using Yesan apples and visited Emart, which then produced and sold the preserves in jam form for commercial sale.

Emart introduced Sweet Square Apple Jam through its nationwide stores and SSG.com, and the product quickly sold out about ten days after its launch. Initially, Emart had no plans for a second release but decided to proceed due to the product's unexpectedly high popularity.

Previously, Emart had collaborated with CEO Baek to support farmers and fishermen struggling to secure sales channels due to the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In April, CEO Baek requested Shin Yong-jin, Vice Chairman of Shinsegae, to purchase a total of 300 tons of misshapen and elongated sweet potatoes overproduced in Haenam, Jeonnam. Vice Chairman Shin, who called himself the 'Tall Uncle,' sold them through five companies including Emart, achieving a complete sell-out.

Also, the 'Matnam Plaza Sea Eel Braised in Spicy Sauce' meal kit, launched in August using sea eels stockpiled in the Tongyeong area, gained popularity. In the case of SSG.com, the initial stock sold out on the day sales began, and some stores also sold out on the same day.

Meanwhile, BGF Retail, which operates the convenience store CU, also stepped up to help CEO Baek promote Yesan apples. CU stated, "All 60,000 units of apple pies containing Yesan apple jam were sold on the day of release," adding, "Sales are progressing rapidly."

CU and CEO Baek built their relationship by launching the 'Baek Jong-won Lunchbox' in 2015. Over the past five years, CU and CEO Baek have jointly developed over 100 products including all-purpose sauces, steamed buns, and stews, with cumulative sales reaching 200 million units.

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