Gyeonggi Province, Starbucks and MIDM Agricultural Union Corporation enter into MOU for co-prosperity

Agreement to provide coffee meal fertilizer, develop Gyeonggi agricultural products

◇ The signing ceremony for the MOU between farming households, Starbucks, and Gyeonggi Province to promote the consumption of domestic agricultural products and the recycling of resources took place at Starbucks Coffee Korea’s head office in Sogong-dong, Seoul, on March 24. Governor Nam Kyung-pil, MIDM Agricultural Union Corporation CEO Jeon Dae-kyung (left), Starbucks Coffee Korea CEO Lee Seok-gu (center) and Starbucks staff members pose for a photo while holding a fertilizer product made from coffee grounds. ⓒ Gyeonggi G News Heo Seon-ryang

Gyeonggi Province, Starbucks and the MIDM Agricultural Union Corporation will turn discarded coffee grounds into an environmentally friendly fertilizer. Farming households in Gyeonggi Province will be given this fertilizer product free of charge.

On March 24, Gyeonggi Province joined the signing ceremony for the MOU between farming households, Starbucks, and Gyeonggi Province to promote the consumption of domestic agricultural products and the recycling of resources at Starbucks Coffee Korea’s head office in Sogong-dong, Seoul. Governor Nam Kyung-pil, Starbucks Coffee Korea CEO Lee Seok-gu, and MIDM Agricultural Union Corporation CEO Jeon Dae-kyung participated in the event. 

According to the agreement, Starbucks will reserve KRW 100 for each Gyeonggi agrifood product sold in Starbucks cafes to create a collaboration fund of KRW 100 million. The fund will be used to produce an environmentally friendly fertilizer from discarded coffee grounds. 

This fertilizer will be offered free of charge to farming households that supply agrifood products to Starbucks. In turn, those farming households will use the environmentally friendly fertilizer to grow agricultural products. Those products will be used in the production and supply of agrifood products to Starbucks.

◇ According to this agreement, Starbucks will reserve KRW 100 for each Gyeonggi agrifood product sold in Starbucks cafes to create a collaboration fund of KRW 100 million. The fund will be used to produce environmentally friendly fertilizer using discarded coffee grounds. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-ryang

In addition, Starbucks has plans to promote sales of agrifood products produced in Gyeonggi Province. Executives and staff members at Starbucks will also pledge to consume roughly KRW 300 million worth of agrifood products from Gyeonggi Province each year in order to help farming households create a new market for their goods. 

To facilitate the seamless distribution of products using agricultural ingredients from Gyeonggi Province, the provincial government will help farming households establish a supply chain for agricultural products. Gyeonggi Province will also offer relevant administrative support for business activities, advertising, and social work to stimulate consumption. For its part, the MIDM Agricultural Union Corporation participates will cooperate with farming households to ensure a stable supply of agricultural goods and offer products of superior quality to Starbucks. 

Governor Nam Kyung-pil said, “Starbucks is not just a place that sells beverages. It is a place that offers creative ways to utilize space and culture. Gyeonggi Province and Starbucks have something in common; we both aim take a wide range of policies and turn them into a golden standard not just for Korea but the entire world.” He added, “I expect that, together with Starbucks and the MIDM Agricultural Union Corporation, we will create new values and culture to be shared globally.”

Governor Nam also added, “By selling agricultural products labeled with the G-Mark in Starbucks cafes, we have an opportunity to promote agricultural products from Gyeonggi Province to the world.” He continued, “I hope today’s agreement for collaboration between the provincial government, Starbucks, and farming households will endure and create a successful model for co-prosperity.”

◇ This MOU for co-prosperity contains details on promoting the consumption of environmentally friendly agricultural products and returning a certain amount of the sales income to farming households. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

Starbucks Coffee Korea CEO Lee Seok-koo said, “Since opening our first café in Korea back in 1999, Starbucks has maintained a cooperative relationship with local communities. I am pleased to take this meaningful step forward with Gyeonggi Province.” He added, “We will do our best to grow together with local communities.”

After the MOU ceremony, Governor Nam, CEO Lee Seok-koo, and CEO Jeon Dae-kyung co-hosted a campaign to promote the consumption of agricultural products made in Korea in front of Starbucks Coffee Korea’s head office. Led by the three hosts, agricultural produce harvested in Gyeonggi Province—such as apples, corn, and potatoes as well as other products with agricultural ingredients 100% sourced in Gyeonggi Province such as Starbucks Rice Chips—were given out free of charge to members of the public.

A source in the Gyeonggi Provincial government said, “The provincial government will create a task force and offer administrative support to effectively implement this agreement.”

◇ After the MOU ceremony, Governor Nam, CEO Lee Seok-koo, and CEO Jeon Dae-kyung co-hosted a campaign to promote the consumption of agricultural products made in Korea in front Starbucks Coffee Korea’s head office, and gave out agricultural products from Gyeonggi Province free of charge to members of the public. ⓒ Gyeonggi G News Heo Seon-ryang

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Roh Kyung-hee khrohh@kg21.net

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201503241559587055C052&s_code=C052