Garak Market-Lotte Mart, Public-Private Partnership to Promote Seoul Youth 'Meal Kit Startup Incubating'

Increased Startup Success Potential Through Close Consulting with Expert Advisory Panel Including Famous Chefs, Marketers, and Investors

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] 'Garak Market,' a hub for food products nationwide, is establishing itself as the center for youth meal kit startups.

On the 20th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will collaborate with Garak Market and Lotte Mart to support youth entrepreneurship in the food sector and develop healthy meal kits utilizing excellent local food products from various regions. Meal kits created by young entrepreneurs using Garak Market's food products will be distributed and sold through Lotte Mart, connecting with consumers.

The 'Seoul Youth Meal Kit Startup Support Project,' launched for the first time this year, is now recruiting its second cohort. Eligible participants are Seoul residents aged 19 to 39 who are preparing for or interested in starting a meal kit business. Applications are open until the 1st of next month. A total of 15 teams will be selected to produce meal kits using 'Healthy & Fresh' agricultural, marine, and livestock products from Garak Market. Outstanding graduates will receive a prize of 3 million KRW, opportunities to enter Lotte Mart stores, access to office space at the Seoul Food Startup Center, and use of shared kitchens.

In the first cohort, which began this April, 15 teams (17 individuals) were selected and underwent an 8-week program including education, consulting, and product development. Through close training by current professionals and renowned chefs on topics such as influencer marketing, meal kit pricing methods, and online mall sales know-how, a solid foundation for successful startups was established.

For the second cohort, to increase the chances of youth startup success, advanced courses on meal kit commercialization, marketing, and distribution will be provided by famous chefs, advertising agencies, investment firms, and brand and marketing experts. One-on-one expert consulting and mentoring will be offered on the meal kits developed and startup strategies devised by the trainees.

Moon Young-pyo, President of the Seoul Agricultural and Marine Products Corporation, stated, “The public-private collaborative job creation project in the food sector, jointly conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Lotte Mart, has entered a stabilization phase. We will do our best to improve on the shortcomings identified during the first cohort and make this project more substantial and likely to succeed.”

Hwang Bo-yeon, Director of Seoul’s Economic Policy Office, said, “Through this opportunity, we confirmed the diverse planning capabilities of meal kits that young people can conveniently purchase and enjoy at nearby marts using their ideas and fresh ingredients. Seoul will build a strong foundation for small-capital startups that create sales by producing healthy food and support the opening of new sales channels for food products from all over the country.”

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