Coupang said on the 9th that Harold Rogers, the interim representative, visited Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, on the 8th to hear directly from small and mid-sized business owners in the Chungcheong region about their difficulties and to exchange views on cooperation measures such as expanding sales channels and strengthening communication.
Rogers visited a grain-processing company in Cheongju, held a roundtable with representatives from five small and mid-sized businesses in the Chungcheong region to hear key issues, and then toured the production site.
Attendees included companies that purchase and process grains from local farms, lunch box and prepared food manufacturers, paper and household goods producers, food manufacturers such as dumplings, and officials from local agricultural cooperatives.
The meeting discussed a range of issues, including cost burdens and supply chain stability amid changes in the external environment, streamlining agricultural product lineups, expanding B2B and overseas sales channels, and directions for shared growth.
After hearing the participants' views, Rogers said the company would seek ways to ease the burdens faced by small partner companies due to rising energy and raw material expense. He also said the company would actively review plans to expand overseas sales channels, including increasing exports to Taiwan.
The company also decided to push support measures to strengthen partners' competitiveness in new markets, such as expanding B2B channels and jointly developing products. To better grasp on-the-ground conditions and communicate quickly, the company plans to open a management direct hotline.
Rogers said, "We are grateful to our partners for continuing to produce high-quality products despite the challenging external environment," adding, "Small and mid-sized enterprises are like the arteries that drive our industry and regional economies, and Coupang can grow only when small companies grow. We will continue to build a solid foundation for shared growth."