In Korea, apples, pears, and persimmons are themost iconic fruits of the country. These fruitshave significant cultural significance, are centralto various traditional rituals and ceremoniesobserved throughout the year, and are deeplyrooted in the Korean cultural fabric. In addition, peaches,grapes, and tangerines are commonly eaten as dessertsand snacks in Korea. These six fruits are Korea's six majorfruits. It's a common practice for people to buy thesefruits in large quantities on a weekly basis and enjoy themas snacks throughout the week. In the past, obtainingand transporting fresh fruit in bulk was a challenge.Today, the convenience of texting, calling, or orderingonline has made it easier than ever to purchase fresh fruitanytime, anywhere. Sweetness and texture are priorities when it comesto fruit. Excessive rain or extreme heat can result inoversized or burst fruit due to excessive moisture. Awarm climate with significant temperature fluctuationsand a relatively high orchard elevation is essentialto produce the finest fruit. Products such asGolden Apple Eden Farming in Hamyang, Pear FarmingCooperative in Jinju, and Shaiwang AgriculturalCooperative Corporation in Sangju are known fortheir superior quality. These farms share an altitudeof about 5 meters, which ensures excellent wind circulationand remarkable temperature fluctuations.As for the fruit, the younger the tree, the better thetaste. Some farmers are willing to sacrifice yield toensure the highest quality fruit, opting to replace alltheir apple trees every four years. As for the apple crop, Fuji is expected to remainstable. However, Hongro, Sugaaru, Yangkwang andFuji apples are expected to decrease by 4-6%. Gamhongapples are estimated to increase by 7% overlast year, and the famous golden apples, known as SinanoGold, are expected to increase by a remarkable23%. For pears, Singo and Wonhwang are expectedto grow by 3% and 2% respectively, while Shinwha,Hwasan and Golden pear varieties are forecast togrow by 1-6%. Tangerines are projected to increaseby 6%, and Cheonhyehyang and Redhyang are expectedto increase by 3% and 2%, respectively. Forpeaches, Yumogye is expected to decline by 1% andCheondogyehae is expected to increase by 2%, mainlydue to new varieties such as Sinbi andYerodream.Grapes including Campbell Early, Kyohong and MBAare expected to decline by 2-9%. However, Delawaregrapes are expected to increase by 3%, and ShineMuscat, Rubyroman, Hongjoo Seedless, and other tablegrape varieties are projected to increase by 11%.For persimmon, Woonmi and Olnuri are projected to increase by 11%, while the main variety Buyu isprojected to decrease by 4%, and Charang and EarlySeochon are projected to decrease by 1% and 8%,respectively. Taechu is expected to increase by 5%. Korean fruit consumers have slightly different preferencesdepending on the type of fruit. For apples,they prefer medium-sized apples weighing 150-250gwith a rich red color and a balance of sweetness andtartness. For pears, they choose medium-sized pearsweighing 550-700g with an intense sweetness andabundant juice. For peaches, they prefer the 300gsize with a sweet and juicy texture. Consumers prefergrapes with high sugar content, thin skin and tinyseeds. Tangerines are preferred to have a harmoniousblend of sweetness and acidity and should generallyhave a deep color along with thin skins. For persimmons,medium-sized fruit weighing 250-280g with afirm, crunchy texture are highly prized. For pears inparticular, they prefer larger and well-shaped fruitsfor traditional rituals. For eating, however, they preferthe crisp texture and juiciness of the flesh, with theunique aroma of pears being especially appreciated.

Sigolssal Ramyeon is a 100% plant-based ramyeon made from rice grown on Ganghwa Island. It is made with 40.49% organic rice flour and Korean potato starch. The soup is made with locally grown vegetables. It consists of 35% dried shiitake mushrooms, 35% dried scallions, 20% dried carrots, and 10% dried seaweed. The 104g noodle has 466kcal. It contains 1873mg of sodium, which is 94% of the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI), 66g of carbohydrates (20% of RDI), 5g of sugars (5% of RDI), 17g of fat (31% of RDI), 7g of saturated fat (47% of RDI), and 13g of protein (24% of RDI). There are no trans-fats or cholesterol. Made from local rice, the noodles are chewy and soft, making them easy to digest. It's made with plant-based ingredients, so it's not greasy and has a clean taste. To cook, put one ramyeon in about 550 ml of boiling water, add the soup and dehydrated soup mix, then boil for another 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Adding a variety of vegetables can make it more delicious. This product is popular with consumers who are intolerant to wheat flour. Many reviewers report good digestion and indigestion. It is often purchased to feed young children or as a gift for parents. The plant-based soup also distinguishes itself from existing animal product-based ramyeons. The two types of soup are made with locally grown chili powder and vegetables and do not contain any animal products. It has been certified by a domestic vegan certification organization, making it a healthy ramyeon suitable for vegetarians. The vegetable soup offers a clean taste and is perfect for snacking. It's delicious even when eaten raw, and you can taste the savory flavor when lightly toasted in a frying pan or air fryer. To reduce the oil you consume from the ramyeon, you can use two pots to cook the noodles first and then cook them a little longer in the soup. Launched in 2019, this ramyeon is produced by the Incheon Localfood Producers Cooperative, which was established on February 14, 2014 by farmers and food processors in the Incheon area. The cooperative aims to support the self-reliance of small farmers and provide healthy and reliable food to citizens through a local food direct trade business. The cooperative's 43 members include social enterprises and agricultural cooperatives such as "Ganghwa Dream," "Kongseal," "Handmade Food," "Ganghwa Green Food," "Dabo Farm," "Walsun Ajimae," and members who farm by hand. After the supply of organic rice for school meals was cut off, they started making ramyeon with rice to promote the consumption of organic rice and support local farms. The rice is produced through eco-friendly organic farming on Boreum Island, Dojang-ri and Gyo-dong in Ganghwa County. In 2020, 2.4 tons of local organic rice were used for Sigolssal Ramyeon, 3.2 tons in 2021, and 4 tons in 2022. So far this year, about 3 tons have been consumed in the first half of the year. In the second half of the year, the total rice consumption will be about 5.5 tons, which is the equivalent of about 60,000 servings. The production cycle of the ramyeon, which was once every six months in the early stages, has been shortened to once every 2.5 months. They produce about 13,000 units each time. Now they produce once every 2.5 months, and the production cycle continues to shorten. The ramyeon weighs 104g and is shipped from the factory in boxes of 20. They sell for KRW 32,000 through online sellers on Naver and delivery specialist Coupang. Shipping costs are KRW 3,000. The shelf life for export is 12 months. In 2020, sales were about KRW 60 million, about KRW 80 million in 2021, and about KRW 100 million in 2022. In 2021, they exported about KRW 1.5 million worth of ramyeon to India, and in 2022, they exported about KRW 1.6 million worth to the UK and about KRW 2 million worth to the U.S., which is about 4,000 ramyeons. In 2023, they have exported 10 boxes to the Organic One food market in the U.S. Last year, they outsourced their operations to Amazon and entered Shopee. They are pushing forward a plan to expand online and offline sales channels in the U.S., and are preparing for certification to enter China.