Officials from the Yeongyang Red Pepper Distribution Corporation—including Kwon Gi-jin, head of the Win-Win Resource Supply Team; Kim Geun-yang, head of the Management Support Team; President Hwang Chan-young; promotional ambassador Moon Yu-bin; Yeongyang-gun office official Yu Ji-hoon; and K Mannam consultant Shin Sang-gon—cheer for success.
Hot peppers, the representative agricultural product of Yeongyang, North Gyeongsang Province, are expanding their market presence in South Korea with Los Angeles as a strategic base.
Hwang Chan-young, president of the Yeongyang Red Pepper Distribution Corporation, stated in an interview with this newspaper on the 1st, “We plan to showcase our flagship brand, ‘Bitgoulchan Red Pepper Powder,’ at the LA Korean Festival Agricultural and Fishery Expo and broaden touchpoints with local consumers in partnership with distribution company K Mannam.”
Yeongyang County is one of South Korea’s representative red pepper production regions, featuring optimal conditions for chili cultivation such as a pristine natural environment and a wide daily temperature range. The Yeongyang Red Pepper Distribution Corporation explained that the red peppers grown based on years of accumulated cultivation experience are characterized by vibrant color, rich aroma, and deep flavor.
President Hwang explained, “We manage the entire process from seed supply, cultivation, harvesting, drying, to processing, and our competitive edge lies in maximizing the color and taste of well-grown peppers.”
He continued, “LA is a crucial gateway for Korean agricultural products entering the US market. We will start in LA, expand the market for Yeongyang red peppers nationwide, and allow people to experience the authentic taste of Korean red pepper powder.”
US distribution is handled by K Mannam. K Mannam selects and supplies products produced in Korea to the local market, and Consultant Shin Sang-gon has led the sales and promotion of Bitgoulchan Red Pepper Powder in the US for the past 10 years.
Bitgoulchan Red Pepper Powder can be purchased through the K Mannam online shopping mall (kmannam.com). The 1-kg product is priced at $45 for general purchases and $36 per unit for box-unit purchases. According to the company, these sales prices are about 20% to 40% lower than previous domestic retail prices.
During the LA Korean Festival, the Yeongyang Red Pepper Distribution Corporation will also host geotjeori (fresh kimchi) making and tasting events using Bitgoulchan Red Pepper Powder at Booth E113 of the Agricultural and Fishery Expo. The Yeongang Red Pepper Lady will participate in the event to make geotjeori with visitors and introduce the products.
Through this event, the Yeongyang Red Pepper Distribution Corporation and K Mannam plan to introduce Yeongyang red peppers and Korean red pepper powder not only to Korean-American consumers but also to other ethnic groups, thereby expanding their US distribution network.
