Sweeter, More Fragrant, and Market-Shaking — A New Premium Mango Variety Arrives

Sweeter, More Fragrant, and Market-Shaking — A New Premium Mango Variety Arrives

The term “Apple Mango” was coined in Japan for marketing purposes; its official variety name is “Irwin.”

Irwin has earned a reputation as a premium mango thanks to its distinctive color, flavor, and texture.

However, few growers have been able to turn it into a profitable crop.

According to Mr. Ik-Joon Choi, CEO of Allgorun Co., Ltd., the key lies in variety selection and rootstock quality.

By grafting Irwin — or even superior-tasting, more fragrant varieties — onto robust rootstock, farmers can achieve profitability with much greater ease.

We sat down with Mr. Choi to learn more.

Q. What led you to start distributing mango seedlings?

Having worked in various industries including export/import and trade, I began contemplating “the food of the future” earlier than most.Two key trends — population aging and climate change — led me toward a new direction: agriculture.

Initially, I focused on the bio and pharmaceutical sectors, even pursuing a related master’s degree.However, I felt a gap between research and reality, and a growing desire to find answers in the field.Then, by chance, I encountered tropical fruits — particularly mango — and saw genuine potential to transform rural communities.

South Korea imports large volumes of mangoes, and domestic cultivation is expanding.Yet, truly premium domestically grown mangoes are rare. As I handled mangoes in my professional work, I often thought: Why don’t we have this in Korea? This could be done so much better.Eventually, I reached a conclusion: Then I’ll do it myself — and do it right.That was the start of Allgorun.

From the outset, our mission was not simply to distribute seedlings, but to help farmers adapt to climate change by switching to high-value tropical crops — and to design new income models together.

Q. What kind of company is Allgorun?

The name “Allgorun” carries a clear message: “Upright and correct.”It reflects our commitment to set new standards for agriculture in an era of climate change — through honest and sustainable practices.Agriculture can no longer remain bound solely to tradition; it must innovate.

Allgorun is leading the transition to tropical crop cultivation in Korea, promoting the concept that farming is an industry.

We hold an exclusive domestic partnership with Miyaki Co., Ltd., a Japanese tropical fruit specialist, to supply ultra-premium varieties sold at high prices in Japan’s luxury department stores.We also offer premium Australian apple mango and various Irwin-lineage varieties tailored to different climates and farm conditions.

Our greatest differentiator lies in our seedlings themselves.We maintain a stock of over 10,000 high-quality seedlings aged four years or more, enabling a “harvest the following year” model that delivers immediate revenue potential. For farmers facing high upfront costs, this is a practical and realistic solution.

Q. What are the characteristics of your varieties?

Our flagship is the Premium Australian Apple Mango — highly resistant to pests and diseases, and exceptionally adaptable to diverse environments. It is well-suited for beginner farmers or those considering a crop shift.With its round, firm apple-like shape, it begins producing in its second year.Sugar content ranges from 17–22°Bx, and by year seven, a single tree can yield 40–60 fruits weighing 350–800g each.Compared to standard Southeast Asian seedlings, our trees reach harvest 2–3 years earlier and produce nearly double the yield.

This performance comes from our four-year-old grafted seedlings with robust rootstock.While conventional trees often decline in productivity after 10 years, our trees can maintain stable yields for decades. In trials at our Yangpyeong farm in Gangwon Province, they continued to grow even at 6°C, and withstood summer greenhouse temperatures of 45°C with minimal damage — proof of their exceptional adaptability.

Our exclusive Japanese ultra-premium varieties — Hawaii Pink, Hawaii Pingle, and Noble — are considered top-tier even in Japan, where a single large fruit (~1kg) can retail for over 10,000 yen (~USD 100).These varieties surpass Irwin in flavor, aroma, and appearance.Their strong fragrance, outstanding sweetness, and distinctive profiles make them ideal candidates for regional specialty branding.We are currently developing localized production zones in cooperation with local governments.

Q. What are Olgorun’s strengths in cultivation management?

One of the biggest reasons domestic mango farmers struggle with profitability is that young trees fail to adapt to local climate or soil, or water management is mishandled.Mangoes require generous watering, but in poorly drained soil, overwatering can cause root rot.

To solve this, Olgorun supplies seedlings suited for pot cultivation. By using a 9:1 mix of decomposed granite soil and multi-component potting media, farmers can irrigate on schedule without risk of over-saturation.This method makes cultivation more accessible for beginners and return-to-farm families, ensuring healthier trees and ultimately higher yields and better fruit quality.

Our seedlings can be grown immediately in standard greenhouses (3m side height or higher) without additional equipment or construction. One farmer, for example, successfully converted a greenhouse previously used for perilla leaves with no extra investment.This system ensures uniform fruit quality and supports future branding and premium distribution strategies.

Q. What are your future goals?

Allgorun’s role does not end with supplying seedlings.We are building a “co-growth agricultural platform” that supports farmers from planting to harvest — and beyond.We station field managers in every distribution region, operate a cultivation advisor system, and maintain active communication channels such as group chats for real-time consultation.We also provide on-site visits, share farming records, and offer guidance to help farmers — especially young, returning, and crop-switching farmers — avoid early-stage mistakes.

Leveraging my background in pharmaceutical studies, Allgorun is also preparing to develop healthy processed products from our tropical crops, such as mango juice, jelly, and snacks.We plan to offer “One-Day Farming Classes” so the public can see, touch, and learn about mango cultivation firsthand.Our long-term vision includes building an integrated agricultural tourism complex combining tropical fruit farms, senior living facilities, and family resorts — making agriculture not just a livelihood, but an experience and a future-oriented industry.

Climate change is undeniably a challenge — but for prepared agriculture, it is also an opportunity. Allgorun will stand at the forefront of this transformation, leading the era of premium domestic mangoes with speed, integrity, and vision.

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출처 : 월간친환경(https://www.digitalorganic.net)