Last November, Shin Dong, a Dubai-based wholesaler who also owns Asian grocery store 1004 Mart, realized a potential market for Korean fruit in the Middle East after he imported 3,500 10-kilogram boxes of tangerines from Jeju island and sold them to Abu Dhabi and Dubai consumers through Lulu Hypermarket, a multinational retail chain that operates in the United Arab Emirates. The tangerines sold out, encouraging Shin to consider more import options.
Shin said he only imports outdoor-grown tangerines because greenhouse-grown ones are not cost effective. Non-greenhouse tangerines are grown on the island only in November, compared with greenhouse tangerines, which are grown all year around.
Encouraged by the moderate success and consumer satisfaction, he conducted another experiment, this time with strawberries.
Shin said strawberries are "even more sensitive," that is, even more easily perishable, than tangerines. Strawberries need to be shipped by air because of its short shelf life. Korean strawberries are now being sold at Lulu Hypermarket in Abu Dhabi.
Shin began to explore the fruit business last year in an effort to diversify. His move coincided with the Korean government's announcement to promote Korean food in the Middle East.
Today, Shin's grocery business has the lion's share in the Korean food market in the Middle East with a 65-percent market share. The company has some 50 employees and annual sales of approximately 15 billion won.
Last year was a milestone in his business because he shifted his consumer focus from Koreans in Dubai to locals.
Source: koreatimes.co.kr
