[Distribution Hot People] "Wore work clothes to contract 60 tons of oysters and harvested oysters together" Mun Bu-seong, Emart Seafood Buyer

Emart Leads 60t Fresh Oyster Event on South Coast
Visits Production Sites 4 Months Before Event
Builds Trust by Working Together in Workwear

A buyer from the Ministry of Education and Emart's seafood department is posing with a special Namhaean oyster event product they directly planned. (Photo by Emart)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] "Wearing work clothes and harvesting oysters together is basic. This year, I even operated the crane that transports the oysters."

On the 27th, Moon Buseong, the seafood buyer at E-Mart, who met with Asia Economy, was the key figure behind E-Mart's largest-ever event featuring 60 tons of oysters from the southern coast. E-Mart sold 60 tons of fresh oysters from the southern coast at 4,990 KRW from the 13th to the 19th of this month. By purchasing at a price lower than the market price during a period when oyster prices were expected to rise, they were able to supply oysters at an affordable price. As a result, E-Mart's weekly fresh oyster sales increased by 332% compared to the same period last year, achieving 470% of the planned sales volume.

Buyer Moon visited production sites starting four months ago to prepare for the October event. When rumors began circulating among local fisheries cooperatives that oyster prices would rise, he expanded beyond the existing supplier in Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do, to secure new contracts in Geoje and Goseong. To win the fishermen’s trust, he said things like "Please help us" and "Please trust us," and there were times when tears welled up and he could not hide them.

Usually, he works at the E-Mart Jinju branch, but when oyster shipments arrive, he heads to Tongyeong from 3 to 4 a.m. At 4 a.m., he boards a boat with fishermen to go to the aquaculture farms and work, sharing cup noodles on the boat. Afterwards, he accompanies the oysters through all processes including harvesting and cleaning, overseeing the entire product preparation. This year, he even operated the crane that lifts the oysters. After having dinner with the fishermen and returning home, it is already past 11 p.m. Despite the tight schedule, he emphasized, "Whether it’s 3 a.m. or 4 a.m., if I need to go to the production site, I must go, and I have to answer the fishermen’s calls. That is how a buyer builds trust."

He also promoted the event himself. Buyer Moon had blue pens custom-made with the words ‘Southern Coast Fresh Oysters’ engraved on them. He distributed these pens to stores he visited and to fishermen and others he met, starting several months before the oyster event to raise awareness.

With the winter season, the peak time for seafood, returning, Buyer Moon plans to introduce other great food products to consumers. The next event will feature the delicious Honggaribi scallops from Goseong, and on the 11th of next month, instead of ‘Pepero Day,’ he is planning an ‘Eel Day.’

Buyer Moon said, "I hope my name will always be associated with E-Mart oysters. I want to continue leading sales miracles," expressing his determination for the future. When asked where he was going at the end of the interview, he replied, "I need to visit the provinces again to check on freshwater eels." He plans to go to the sea for work again tomorrow.

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