According to E-mart on July 19, sales of the imported super grains such as quinoa, lentils and chickpeas increased by up to 5 times last year, and they have already doubled in the first half this year compared to last year. (image: Meal Makeover Moms/flickr)
SEOUL, July 20 (Korea Bizwire) – Thanks to their much-touted health benefits, demand for imported “super grains” is increasing, while Korean crops such as beans are becoming unpopular among Koreans.
According to E-mart on July 19, sales of the imported super grains such as quinoa, lentils and chickpeas increased by up to 5 times last year, and they have already doubled in the first half this year compared to last year.
However, sales of homegrown crops including beans, barley and mixed cereals fell 19 percent, 1.1 percent and 5.4 percent respectively during the first half of the year compared to the same period last year.
An official at E-mart said, “When comparing their actual nutrition, Korean grains are in no way inferior to foreign grains. We will promote sales of Korean beans by holding a ‘Korean Bean Festival’ to introduce Korean beans as a Korean version of superfood.”
For the promotional event, E-mart will provide 70 tons of Korean beans at its stores while offering discounts of up to 33 percent.
By John Choi (johnchoi@koreabizwire.com)
