What’s trending in Korea? Believe it or not, ‘Ugly’ agricultural items that have a less than perfect appearance, but with good quality and lower prices. According to our agency in Korea, the Korean word for “Ugly” is a rather cute and friendly expression. This “Ugly” trend is so popular there are even online malls, such as the Ugly Us Market, that sell an ugly version of ag products with sustainability messages. Recently, one of California walnuts’ importers took advantage of this trend by launching a new “Ugly Walnut” brand that uses the darker walnuts from this year’s crop. The product has been well-received with positive feedback from consumers. The CWC conducts in-store promotions throughout the year in Korea, and this product was promoted via in-store sampling at Lotte Mart, one of Korea’s major grocery retailers. Generally, consumers think that California walnuts are mostly light-colored, and that light color is the indicator of good quality. During this promotion, trained promoters shared with consumers that the darker color is just from the natural sun, and the walnuts still provide good quality, taste, and nutritional value. Many consumers mentioned that they liked the taste of darker walnuts as they are providing a richer flavor.
