Emart Sells 100% Domestic Seed 'Brown Enoki Mushroom'

Domestic White Enoki Mushrooms 75% Japanese Varieties, Annual 1 Billion KRW Royalty Paid to Japan
Chungcheongbuk-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services Develops Domestic 'Brown Enoki Mushrooms' Seeds

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Emart announced on the 9th that starting from the 11th, it will sell 'brown enoki mushrooms,' a domestic variety developed by the Chungcheongbuk-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services that won the 2020 Korea Excellent Variety Award. The price is 1,280 KRW per pack.

Following a pilot sale on the 5th, about 3,000 packs of brown enoki mushrooms were sold over two days. This time, 50,000 packs have been prepared.

The Chungcheongbuk-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services identified that 75% of domestically produced white enoki mushrooms are Japanese varieties, with over 1 billion KRW in annual seed royalties paid to Japan, prompting the development of a domestic seed enoki mushroom. After approximately three years of research and development and pilot cultivation, the 'brown enoki mushroom' was launched in 2016.

The 'brown enoki mushroom' is characterized by a higher protein content, lower fat content, and beta-glucan?known for its immune-boosting effects?that is 1.6 times higher compared to regular enoki mushrooms. Its crisp texture makes it suitable for various dishes and salads.

Despite being an excellent domestic variety, sales of the 'brown enoki mushroom' were sluggish due to consumer perception that enoki mushrooms should be white, and expanding distribution channels was challenging. Emart expects to contribute to changing consumer perceptions and popularizing the 'brown enoki mushroom.'

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