Lotte Mart and Lotte Super are selling Summer King, a summer fresh-apple variety, in bags of five to eight apples for 15,990 won ($11).
Developed by the Apple Research Institute under the Rural Development Administration, Summer King is a purely domestic variety that is sweeter and juicier than the Aori apple (Tsugaru).
The product will first be available at 30 Lotte Mart locations, including the Jamsil Zettaplex store, and 10 Lotte Super locations, including the Grand Grocery Dogok store. Starting in mid-July, the rollout will expand to all Lotte Mart and Lotte Super outlets. To meet demand, the retailer plans to double its sourcing volume from growing regions in North Gyeongsang Province and North Chungcheong Province compared with last year.
Chae Hui-cheol, a merchandise planner on the fruit team at Lotte Mart and Lotte Super, said the company had significantly expanded its supply after repeatedly visiting farms in North Gyeongsang and North Chungcheong provinces to monitor growing conditions firsthand. "We will continue to introduce a diverse range of apple varieties," he added.
andy@heraldcorp.com
