Gyeongbuk Agricultural Specialty Products Shopping Mall 'Saiso' Approaches 50 Billion Won in Sales This Year

Annual 5% Increase in Partner Farms and Products

Gyeongbuk Province's agricultural specialty product shopping mall, ‘Saiseo,’ achieved sales of 5.6 billion KRW as of the end of January, marking a 10% increase compared to 5.1 billion KRW in the same month last year.

This performance brightens the outlook for reaching 50 billion KRW in sales this year, surpassing last year's record high of 45.5 billion KRW. Sales have grown from 7 billion KRW in 2018, to 16.4 billion KRW in 2020, and 45.5 billion KRW in 2023.

Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office.

As of the end of January, the number of farms registered on ‘Saiseo’ was 2,337 households, with 13,077 products available. Compared to the end of last year, the number of registered farms increased steadily by 5% (114 households), and the number of products increased by 5% (610 items). Notably, new members reached 155,834, a significant increase of 23,328 (18%) compared to the previous month.

Sales by category were 1.42 billion KRW for livestock products such as Korean beef and pork, 1.38 billion KRW for fruits like apples and pears, and 1.19 billion KRW for grains (including mixed grains). Processed foods such as traditional Korean sweets, rice cakes, and fruit juices accounted for 1 billion KRW, while seafood and forest products totaled 610 million KRW.

Last year, ‘Saiseo’ integrated shopping malls that were previously operated at the city and county levels into a province-wide platform.

By integrating member management, product registration, payment, and settlement, customer service and system management have become faster. Consumers can now use ‘Saiseo’ and city/county shopping malls with a single ID without separate registration, improving accessibility and convenience for users.

Various discount events (Monday specials, Wednesday specials, discount coupons, etc.) and seasonal or themed promotions are ongoing, focusing on consumer-centered customized marketing. Plans are also underway to continuously expand collaborative projects with other organizations.

Additionally, ‘Saiseo’ has applied for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ national subsidy project for supporting the subscription economy of small business owners and is awaiting the results.

If selected for this project, ‘Saiseo’ will be able to develop various subscription economy products such as regular delivery and bundle packages, broadening consumer choices and greatly aiding farmers by expanding sales channels.

Kim Ju-ryeong, Director of the Agricultural and Livestock Distribution Bureau of Gyeongbuk Province, said, “Last year’s record-breaking performance was made possible thanks to the great interest and support of registered farms and members. This year, we will continue to prepare various customized products, events, and promotions to make the shopping mall a place where customers can purchase products at reasonable prices.”

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