Market Kurly Launches Project to Preserve Ingredient Diversity Through Win-Win Cooperation

Market Kurly Launches 'Rare Value Project' to Preserve Diversity of Ingredients through Win-Win Cooperation.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Retail tech company Market Kurly is launching the ‘Rare Value Project,’ which discovers and introduces special ingredients with unique varieties, production environments, and production processes.

On the 30th, Market Kurly announced that it will open a curated product section featuring only ingredients with rare value and will also introduce content about the products and producers. Fresh food MDs and content planners will be the main drivers of the Rare Value Project, exploring and introducing precious ingredients.

Market Kurly classified rare value products based on four criteria: ▲products with various varieties ▲products with special production environments and methods ▲rare products that expand gourmet experiences ▲products produced sustainably. Only products meeting at least two of these criteria are classified as rare value products. Through this project, Market Kurly plans to provide producers with new distribution channels and high-quality content, while offering consumers the joy of discovering and purchasing distinctive ingredients.

The representative new products curated by the Rare Value Project this month include the subtly sweet Seosan Geumwang potato, a rice sampler containing four rare native rice varieties?‘Hanyangjo,’ ‘Hwado,’ ‘Bukheukjo,’ and ‘Beodeulbye’?and Noeulhaesim Gim, the first new variety of marine algae in Korea. Although potatoes, rice, and gim are generally perceived as everyday ingredients without much distinction in variety, Market Kurly introduces products with diverse varieties to provide new taste experiences even in staple foods. In particular, the Seosan Geumwang potato, named ‘Golden King,’ has a lighter yellow flesh compared to the commonly known Sumi potato and features a fluffy texture. Additionally, unique ingredients such as eco-friendly stevia leaves, organic Gyeongjojeong, and Shinbi peaches will be available as limited editions from June to July.

Through this project, Market Kurly also uncovers and introduces stories of farms with special production environments and producer know-how. For example, ‘Geuraedo Farm’ in Yeongwol, Gangwon-do, which has been cultivated over two generations since 1983, uses homemade natural compost to grow the unfamiliar Air Room tomato. Furthermore, Ahn Sumin, CEO of ‘Anspure Farm’ in Hwacheon, Gangwon-do, which sells pesticide-free Matilda tomatoes, is the first farmer in Korea to successfully commercialize the European variety Campari tomato.

Moreover, the Rare Value Project highlights products produced in environmentally beneficial ways and certified through rigorous standards based on the value of sustainability. It offers a variety of ingredients ranging from various fruits certified as low-carbon by producing agricultural and livestock products with carbon-reducing farming methods to eco-friendly seafood such as abalone, fresh salmon sashimi, and boiled shrimp certified by international eco-labels ASC and MSC.

Goo Myungju, leader of Market Kurly’s content planning team, said, “Even valuable products were rarely introduced in existing distribution environments if their production volume was low or if demand was limited to specific customer groups. Market Kurly, which has consistently discovered special products, will not only showcase various varieties of vegetables and fruits according to the season through the Rare Value Project but will also actively seek livestock and seafood products with special value.”

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