"Hallabong, Cheonhyehyang, and Redhyang Popular" GS The Fresh Sees 33.9% Increase in Citrus Sales Last Year

Cheonhyehyang oranges sold at GS The Fresh are being selected at Jeju Seongwajang.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] The popularity of citrus fruits such as Hallabong, Cheonhyehyang, and Redhyang is surging.

GS The Fresh (GS Supermarket), operated by GS Retail, announced on the 5th that sales of citrus fruits increased by 33.9% compared to the previous year. This figure far surpasses the 9.1% growth seen in mandarin oranges during the same period.

The citrus variety with the largest growth was Cheonhyehyang, with sales increasing by 71% last year. Hwanggeumhyang also saw a growth rate of 66%. Both products are new varieties known for their superior sweetness and fragrance, captivating customers with their aroma that spreads widely when peeled and their abundant juice. Hallabong, the most well-known among customers, increased by 21%.

Citrus fruits generally refer to newly cultivated citrus varieties created by crossbreeding the commonly known mandarin orange varieties and orange varieties represented by sweet orange trees. Hallabong, Cheonhyehyang, Redhyang, and Hwanggeumhyang are representative examples. Over the past five years, the proportion of gift sets composed of citrus fruits sold during holidays has increased annually.

As more customers prefer new varieties, the cultivation areas are also changing. According to Seogwipo City, a major citrus production area in Jeju, the cultivation area of citrus fruits in Seogwipo increased by 71% from 1,677 hectares in 2016 to 2,869 hectares in 2020, and the total income per unit area rose by 24% from 9.9 million KRW in 2016 to 12.3 million KRW in 2020.

GS The Fresh has selected citrus fruits as items for the 2022 New Year event and is conducting a card discount promotion. From the 5th, customers who pay with the event card for one week will be able to purchase citrus and mandarin products at a 30% discounted price.

This event will introduce the new variety Sunnyt Hong Hallabong, which is known for its reddish hue and superior sweetness compared to the existing Hallabong. Cheonhyehyang, Redhyang, Hallabong, and Tyvek mandarins will also be sold at discounted prices.

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