Coupang Supports Farmers Facing Total Tomato Disposal Crisis...Purchasing 400 Tons

Massive Tomato Purchase at Domestic Largest Scale
Supporting Farms Nationwide Including Chungnam, Jeonnam, and Jeonbuk
Up to 37% Discount with Rocket Fresh Dawn Delivery

Coupang will purchase over 400 tons of tomatoes from hundreds of locations nationwide to support tomato farms facing management crises. This is the largest scale among domestic single distribution companies.

Employees of the agricultural corporation FarmFarm are holding up harvested tomatoes.
[Photo by Coupang].

On the 17th, Coupang announced that it will purchase over 400 tons of tomatoes over one week until the 23rd to help local farms whose sales channels have been cut off due to a recent sharp decline in tomato demand. Some cherry tomato varieties were discarded entirely after reports of stomach pain and vomiting symptoms from consumption, but the damage has expanded to most domestic tomato farms unrelated to this issue, with delivery suspensions and poor inventory clearance.

The tomatoes Coupang is purchasing this time were grown by tomato farms across the country, including Buyeo and Nonsan in Chungnam, Damyang and Hwasun in Jeonnam, Gimje in Jeonbuk, and Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi. These products have passed not only the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification but also strict quality inspections by Coupang’s quality management experts. Many of the regional farms, such as Buyeo Sedo Nonghyup, the largest domestic tomato producers’ cooperative that has been with Coupang Rocket Fresh since its launch, have been verified by consumers for taste and quality.

From the 17th to the 23rd, Coupang is holding a 'Tomato Farm Support Campaign,' selling tomatoes at up to 37% discounted prices. The campaign’s discounted volume is twice the size of past tomato promotions, offering customers a variety of flavors and varieties. Customers can purchase tomatoes such as natural sugar 'Stevia' tomatoes, black tomatoes, glutinous tomatoes, apple tomatoes, and fully ripe tomatoes for juice through Rocket Fresh’s dawn delivery service.

Yang Gwang-sik, CEO of Farm Farm, an agricultural corporation in Nonsan, Chungnam, said, "The harmful controversy that occurred in some tomato farms spread to the entire industry, causing large supermarkets and catering companies that previously supplied to stop transactions, resulting in tens of tons of unsold tomato inventory. It was on the path to being discarded entirely after just one week, but thanks to Coupang’s swift help, we have overcome this difficulty."

Since last year, Coupang has been purchasing large quantities of high-quality fruits produced by local farms nationwide that are facing crises. Last Chuseok, it purchased over 100 tons of apples that missed the sales period due to the early holiday, and this Lunar New Year, it purchased over 200 tons of seasonal agricultural products such as strawberries, apples, and tomatoes.

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