Lotte Mart to Sell First Autumn Harvest of Domestic Varieties 'Wonhwang Pear' and 'Hongro Apple'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Lotte Mart announced on the 17th that it will sell 'Hongro apples,' a popular variety for Chuseok, following the first freshly harvested new pear of the year, the 'Wonhwang pear.'

Lotte Mart's Wonhwang pear, which began sales on August 7th to coincide with Ipchu (the beginning of autumn), is a domestic variety first developed in 1994, characterized by abundant juice, a crisp texture, and a sweet and tangy flavor. Since it is harvested from early August, it is the earliest new pear customers can enjoy throughout the year.

Only about 5% of pears produced domestically are new Korean varieties, among which the Wonhwang pear is one of the most preferred by customers.

Starting from the 19th, Hongro apples, which will first be sold at six stores including Seoul Station and Jamsil branches, are also a domestic variety bred by the Rural Development Administration in 1988 and have been loved by consumers as a fall apple for the longest time. As the name suggests, the skin color is reddish, and it is widely used as a gift and for ancestral rites during Chuseok.

Generally, about 70% of apples distributed year-round in Korea are 'Fuji,' also known as 'Busa' apples. Fuji apples, harvested in October to November, are sold after long-term storage, so foreign varieties such as the summer apple 'Aori' dominate the market before Chuseok.

Lotte Mart is introducing new domestic varieties such as 'Summer King' and 'Rubies' as fresh fall apples alongside the representative domestic variety Hongro, and customer responses have been positive, according to the mart. Summer King, first introduced in July, recorded sales of over 300 million KRW within a month of its launch, and Rubies apples, first launched in 2019, sold out in their first year and saw sales increase nearly 13 times compared to the previous year last year.

Lotte Mart is selling Wonhwang pears (3 kg) for 15,800 KRW. Hongro apples (4-7 pieces per bag) will be available at all stores from the 21st at 9,980 KRW.

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