aT runs 4-day tasting event at Koom Festival to showcase taste and quality

Fresh fruit push timed to coincide with entries into major US retail chains

Local consumers sample Korean shine muscat grapes and pears at the Koom Festival, held in Manhattan, New York, from Oct. 15 to 18. [Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation]
Local consumers sample Korean shine muscat grapes and pears at the Koom Festival, held in Manhattan, New York, from Oct. 15 to 18. [Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation]

Korean shine muscat grapes and pears made a bid for American palates in Manhattan last week, drawing praise from local consumers who sampled the fruit and, in some cases, asked where they could buy it.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) said Thursday they operated a promotional pop-up store for Korean fresh fruit at the Koom Festival, held from Friday to Monday in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, New York.

The event was timed to coincide with the peak harvest and shipping season for Korean shine muscat and pears, as well as their scheduled entry into major US retail chains. The initiative aims to channel growing local interest in K-food into consumption of fresh produce and to strengthen the premium image of Korean fruit.

aT ran the pop-up in partnership with the Korea Grape Export Association and the Korea Pear Export Association, offering tastings to visitors throughout the four-day event. About 2,000 people attended and tried the fruit firsthand.

Shine muscat drew particular praise for its large berries and high sugar content, while Korean pears were well received for their crisp texture and abundant juice. Some visitors asked where they could purchase Korean fruit locally.

Emilio, a local consumer who attended the event, said the crisp, sweet texture of Korean fruit was "far more distinctive than American fruit" and added that he would make a point of buying it if it became available at local stores.

The United States is South Korea's largest export market for agricultural and food products. aT is working to extend the K-food wave — driven largely by processed foods — into fresh produce such as pears and grapes, pursuing consumer tasting experiences and retail expansion to that end.

Jeon Gi-chan, aT's director of export food affairs, said the event confirmed strong interest in the taste and quality of Korean grapes and pears. "We will continue to expand the local retail network and strengthen consumer-experience marketing so that fresh produce can establish a stable foothold in the US market," he said.


adastra@heraldcorp.com