Coupang said on the 3rd that the fruit and seafood it purchased last year from rural and fishing communities in provincial areas, including regions with declining populations, surpassed 9,000 tons (t).
The fruit and seafood that Coupang purchased last year from rural and fishing communities in provincial areas, including regions with declining populations, totaled 9,240 t. They included more than 30 types of fruit such as apples, oriental melons, grapes, peaches, and watermelons (7,550 t), and more than 30 types of seafood such as mackerel, hairtail, red tilefish, blue crabs, shrimp, and cockles (1,870 t).
Fruit procurement areas numbered seven, including Yeongam and Hampyeong in South Jeolla, Chungju in North Chungcheong, and Goryeong County in North Gyeongsang. Seafood procurement areas numbered 10, including Namhae County and Geoje in South Gyeongsang, Sinan in South Jeolla, Taean in South Chungcheong, Yeonggwang in South Jeolla, and Jeju Island.
Coupang's fruit and seafood purchase volumes were 6,710 t in 2023 and 7,370 t in 2024, and reached a record high last year. Last year's purchase volume rose 28% from the previous year. That outpaced the 2024 growth rate from 2023 (10%).
Specifically, last year's fruit purchase volume increased 29% from the previous year. Direct-from-origin seafood purchases also jumped from 1,500 t in 2024 to 1,870 t last year. Purchases of short-neck clams and cockles nearly doubled, and scallops and abalone were expanded by 20% to 30% each.
Coupang is increasing its purchases of agricultural and marine products from rural and fishing communities in provincial areas as it expands logistics infrastructure investments to islands and mountainous regions and areas with declining populations. The aim is to identify items and production areas in rural and fishing communities that face climate change and difficulties in expanding sales channels.
Coupang is also working to reduce distribution expense burdens in rural and fishing communities by expanding direct transactions. In particular, direct shipping from production areas eliminates stages in which rural and fishing communities would otherwise incur additional expense by going through intermediate wholesalers and wholesale markets in the distribution process.
This year, the company will continue to identify new production areas and items for purchase. It plans to expand fruit procurement to Namwon and Buan in North Jeolla, Miryang in South Gyeongsang, and Hongseong in South Chungcheong. It will also expand seafood, which has been focused on the South and West Sea coasts, to the East Sea coast to increase direct purchases.