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Islands of Korea, Islands of the World Jindo Green Onion accounts for 30% of Korea’s total “Green onion disposal alone “Loconomy Integration and Island Story
Falling Demand,
green onion production.
Collaboration with
Rising Burden
Grown in sea breeze–swept fields surrounded by
Conglomerates”
ocean, Jindo’s green onions are rich in minerals and
flavor. They thrive even in winter and are recognized
cost KRW 6.8 billion.”
as a premium product, having been designated
The Jindo County Agricultural and Fishery Products
Geographical Indication No. 61.
were often forced to plow under entire crops
collaboration with large corporations in line with the
But despite their quality and heritage, the green As demand declined and prices dropped, farmers Distribution Project Group aimed to promote
without recovering labor costs.
onions once faced a crisis. rising loconomy trend.
Over five years, the cost of destroying unsold
They first held a familiarization tour, inviting key
green onions reached KRW 6.8 billion, placing
personnel from companies such as McDonald’s
a significant strain on Jindo County’s finances.
and TMON. During the tour, which introduced major
The county organized a Green Onion Festival
production sites and processing facilities, participants
and ran TV campaigns to boost interest, which
praised the high quality of Jindo’s products.
led to short-term attention but failed to create
sustainable sales channels.
BGF Retail, recognizing the commercial value of Jindo
Green Onion, purchased 30 tons, releasing three types
In response, Jindo County established the From its debut, it became a hot topic—selling
of ready-to-eat meals through CU convenience stores,
Agricultural and Fishery Products Distribution 500,000 units in just one week, and achieving
which gained significant popularity.
Project Group in 2023 to secure new markets and 1.4 million units sold, the fastest record in
strengthen the branding of local produce. McDonald’s Korea history.
Due to early sell-outs and high consumer
demand, the Jindo Green Onion Burger was
Vol.03 (Source) Jindo County and McDonlad’s during its third release. As a result, 150 tons of
relaunched, and three versions were introduced
Jindo Green Onion were consumed, bringing
new vitality to local farms.

In 2022, Jindo County’s green onion income
was KRW 24.8 billion, but in 2023, the year of the
burger launch, that figure increased to KRW 56.3
billion, a 2.27-fold increase.
Now, “Jindo Green Onion” has grown beyond
being just an agricultural product—it has
become a symbol of the region. As it plays a role
in connecting the region to the world, we look
forward to what kinds of new changes it will
bring in the future.

A collaboration with McDonald’s was also pursued. As
part of the “Taste of Korea” project, McDonald’s used
agricultural and fishery products from Jeollanam-do
Province.

Thanks to active cooperation regarding green onion
supply and quality assurance, the green onion burger
was launched, resulting in the sale of 50 tons of Jindo
Green Onion.

Eventually, the “Jindo Green Onion Cream Croquette
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Burger” was launched.