[Edaily Reporter Lee So-Hyun ] Even peaches grown with the utmost care become just “a box of produce” once they enter the auction house, where their price is determined by size, grade, and the day’s market rate. The CEO of WOORIRO CO., LTD, a peach farm in Janghowon, Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, that has been passed down through three generations, wanted to break away from the existing distribution system where the producer’s name and story disappear.

“I wanted to properly introduce the truly delicious peaches from our farm to more people,” said CEO Woo, who launched the “Toyo Peaches” brand in 2018 and began selling online. He started selling peaches—which had previously gone through Nonghyup auctions and wholesale distribution channels—directly to consumers via the company’s online store at Cafe24 Corp.(042000). The name “Toyo Peaches” embodies the meaning of “the most beautiful season when peach blossoms bloom.”

Branding a Third-Generation Farm

CEO Woo majored in art in college and worked as a fashion buyer in Australia for about four years before joining CJ E&M, where she was responsible for bridging content and commerce. Her experience—that even a good product can be perceived differently depending on how it is presented to customers—laid the foundation for turning the farm’s peaches into a brand.

Toyo Peaches prioritizes quality over quantity. The peaches are grown using low-carbon farming methods without chemical fertilizers, and the trees are trained to grow low and wide to ensure the fruit receives even exposure to sunlight and air. The number of fruits per tree is also carefully controlled.

Even after harvest, the peaches are re-inspected not only for size and appearance but also for sugar content, aroma, juice content, and ripeness. Fresh peaches—limited to three varieties—are sold annually from July through September.

Since harvest timing and volume vary depending on the weather, all fresh peaches are sold by pre-order. Rather than harvesting in advance to meet order volumes, they ship the day’s harvest in the order in which orders were received.

In years when the rainy season was prolonged, making it difficult to achieve the desired quality, sales were suspended entirely. CEO Jang said, “We adhere to the principle of not shipping peaches that do not meet our standards, even if it means sacrificing a season’s revenue.”

Conveying “The Value of the Farm” Directly Through Cafe24 Corp.’s Own Store

This year, through the “K-Manufacturing Smart E-commerce Innovation Project,” Cafe24 Corp. is supporting the D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) transition of manufacturers who, despite having competitive products and production capabilities, struggle with direct online sales. The core objective is to resolve the challenges faced by approximately 500,000 domestic manufacturers—such as a lack of online operational know-how and specialized personnel, as well as fragmented production, inventory, and distribution data—thereby transforming their manufacturing capabilities into competitive advantages for their own online stores.

Toyo Peach also utilizes its online store not merely as a place to order peaches, but as a space to showcase the history of its family farm—now in its third generation—and the stories behind each peach variety.

They chose Cafe24 Corp. because it allowed them to directly bring their desired brand image to life. They arranged the layout—including photos, white space, and the order of product descriptions—and captured the changing flavors and seasonal atmosphere of peaches on their online store.

CEO Woo said, “Another advantage is that even without a dedicated developer, we can use the Design Center’s various templates and easily modify the site’s design to match the season and products.”

Customer response has been positive as well. This year, the repeat purchase rate on the Cafe24 Corp. online store rose from 70.5% in July to 77.3% in August. Monthly visitors during the summer reach approximately 100,000. The company has held pop-up stores at the HYUNDAIDEPARTMENTSTORECO.,LTD Apgujeong Main Branch for three consecutive years and continues to collaborate with the food and beverage (F&F) industry, including hotels and dessert brands.

Expanding Beyond Fresh Fruit to Processed Foods and Farm Experiences

The company has also expanded its product lineup from fresh fruit to processed foods. By introducing products such as “Toyo THE BOTTLE” canned peaches, limited-edition items containing 400g or more of peaches, and “Peach Vanilla”—enriched with vanilla beans—the brand ensures customers can engage with it even outside of harvest season.

The company is also nearing completion of “Toyo HAUS,” a facility where customers can experience the farm firsthand. CEO Woo said, “The biggest change is that my parents can now focus on growing the best possible peaches rather than worrying about prices,” adding, “Going forward, we plan to expand our processed food lineup and, through Toyo HAUS—scheduled for completion in September—we want to create opportunities for customers to experience the farm’s seasonal rhythms firsthand.”