Leading Local Hypermarket Chain Promotes Florida Grapefruit March 5, 2010

Shinsegae E-Mart, the leading hypermarket store chain in Korea, has started an aggressive sales promotion on Florida grapefruit on March 5. Consumption of grapefruit has shown a rapid increase recently as more consumers, in particular professional young adults and housewives with kids, recognize health benefits of eating grapefruit. Total imports of grapefruit from the U.S. totaled at $10 million in 2009, up 20 percent from the year before.

POM Juice Launched in Korea with an Aggressive Consumer Campaign March 4, 2010

POM Wonderful, a leading supplier of fresh pomegranate fruit and juice products, made a successful entry into the Korean market with an aggressive consumer campaign in early March. Under the slogan of “Proven by Novel Prize Winner. Medical Juice, POM Wonderful”, various consumer promotions are under way, including free sampling event in leading local retail stores. The consumption of fresh pomegranate and juice products are expected to increase rapidly in

Korea, in particular among female groups in 40’s-60’s, due to the highly publicized health benefits.

Visit to Cargill Agri Purina Korea’s Pet Food Plant Confirms Bright Prospect for American Pet Food Products in Korea, February 24, 2010

ATO Seoul visited a pet food manufacturing plant under Cargill Agri Purina Korea in Songtan to develop contacts and market intelligence of emerging pet food industry. Although experienced a set back during the last several years due to the import ban on processed pet food from the U.S. that contains beef ingredients for BSE risk, the United States remains as the most preferred supplier of high quality pet food products to local pet owners, according to the pet food team in Cargill Agri Purina Korea. Currently pet food accounts for a very small portion of the animal feed business for Cargill Agri Purina Korea but the sales are expected to maintain a rapid growth in the coming years partly backed by launchings of new, premium quality products which are developed specifically to the taste of local pet owners.