From Field to Table ① "Brother, could you sell some grapes?"…Cheongsol Farm's Direct Sales Opened by Sibling's Social Media

Every Monday morning, news about grapes his brother has nurtured like his own children appears on his younger brother's social media.

When Park Rae-seung, who runs Cheongsol Farm in Songsan-myeon, Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi Province, calls, his younger brother Park Rae-gun reluctantly posts direct sales listings. He adds an awkward disclaimer: "Don't blame me if no orders come in."

"Brother: No orders came in this weekend.

Me: I keep telling you posting repeatedly has no effect.

Brother: So what? Still, try posting Monday morning."

There is a desperate reason why the brothers are clinging so hard to direct sales. This autumn brought a severe price collapse for Shine Muscat grapes affecting farmers. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Shine Muscat boasted high prices, but cultivation farms across the nation surged, leading to overshipment. In recent years, prices have plummeted by 3 to 4 times.

Park said with a deep sigh, "There are still many grapes left in the fields to harvest. When I think about when I'll sell all this hard-grown fruit, I lose sleep at night."

Amid harvest-time worries, the brothers chose to "reduce intermediary distribution stages." By drastically lowering distribution margins that occur when products go to wholesale markets, farms secure fair prices and consumers receive fresh grapes straight from the field at reasonable prices.

Cheongsol Farm's direct sales offerings this fall include freshly harvested Shine Muscat and Songsan grape juice with rich flavor. Orders are packaged directly by the farm with care and shipped immediately by courier. Detailed harvest status, ordering methods, and product information can be checked in real-time through younger brother Park Rae-gun's Facebook account.