Karrot, developed by the South Korean startup Danggeun Market, set its sights on the North American market in 2020, establishing Canada as a launchpad for its ambition to become a global hyperlocal community platform connecting neighborhoods worldwide. (Image courtesy of Danggeun (Karrot))
SEOUL, Mar. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – Karrot, a homegrown South Korean app that facilitates hyperlocal community interactions, is rapidly gaining traction in Canada, cracking the top 10 rankings on both the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store in the free social app category.
According to industry sources on Friday, Karrot secured the No. 5 and No. 7 spots on the Play Store and App Store respectively in Canada on April 19, outperforming the global social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, which ranked No. 7 on Google Play.
The app’s rising popularity in Canada, initially embraced by the Korean diaspora community, signals its expanding appeal among local residents seeking neighborhood connections and secondhand trading opportunities.
Since the start of 2024, Karrot’s monthly active users (MAUs) in Canada have been growing at an average rate of 15 percent month-over-month. In February, the MAU figure was three times higher than the same month last year.
Analysts attribute part of Karrot’s success to Canada’s vibrant culture of repurposing and reselling used household items, often through community “garage sales” hosted in residential driveways and parking areas.
Karrot, developed by the South Korean startup Danggeun Market, set its sights on the North American market in 2020, establishing Canada as a launchpad for its ambition to become a global hyperlocal community platform connecting neighborhoods worldwide.
Starting with its debut in London, Ontario in September 2020, the service expanded to other major Canadian cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. In 2021, Danggeun Market established a local subsidiary in Toronto, and in 2022, co-founder Kim Yong-hyun relocated to Canada to spearhead the global expansion efforts.
To accelerate localization, Karrot appointed Canadian national Robert Kim as its new CEO in June 2022.
Karrot, a homegrown South Korean app that facilitates hyperlocal community interactions, is rapidly gaining traction in Canada. (Image courtesy of Danggeun Market)
Notably, Karrot has gained popularity under the “Social” category on app stores rather than the “Shopping” section typically associated with secondhand trading platforms.
Danggeun Market representatives suggested this categorization reflects how Karrot transcends being a mere resale marketplace for local users, serving as a means for community engagement – an early indication of its potential to evolve into a true “hyperlocal” platform for neighborhoods, aligning with its ultimate vision.
Buoyed by its success in Canada, Karrot plans to accelerate its expansion into the United States market, following its existing presence in the New York and New Jersey areas by launching services in Chicago later this month.
A Danggeun Market official stated, “We intend to continue making aggressive investments to drive our global business growth.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
