Ripened on the Shelf, Not the Tree: The Hidden Truth About Your Fruit
"Any fruit, when harvested at its peak ripeness on the tree, will have higher sweetness and flavor.
However, we harvest it prematurely for economic reasons."
by Dr. Moon Jung-hoon,
Edaily (from 'A Taste of Long Cultivation')
Q1. Please tell us about yourself.
Yong-soon Park, Founder and CEO of Island Box (IB).
I am a marketing expert in the IT industry, and I have worked at the Asia Pacific headquarters of a global company. After living in Singapore for over a decade, I was drawn to the natural beauty and relaxed lifestyle of Jeju Island. With some persuasion, I convinced my wife, a foreign exchange specialist at a global financial company, to join me in moving back to Korea from Singapore in 2015.
Intrigued by the convergence of IT and traditional industries, I have co-founded a startup that operates a private accommodation sharing platform for foreign tourists. Here in Jeju, I have embarked on a new venture, Island Box, with the dream of creating a novel distribution business that combines emotion, experience, and IT with the traditional agricultural and fishery industries.
Q2. What is the story behind the "IB" brand ?
Having spent many years living overseas in bustling metropolises, I sought a quieter life and moved to Jeju Island. On my first visit to a local fruit shop, I was selecting tangerines as a gift for my parents. I was looking for the sweetest, juiciest ones. The shopkeeper informed me that different tangerine varieties have their optimal tasting seasons. Intrigued but skeptical, I listened.
The shopkeeper kindly offered to notify me when the tangerines I wanted were in season. True to his word, he contacted me when the fruit was at its peak. The tangerines were absolutely delicious, far surpassing any I'd ever tasted. My parents were overjoyed with the gift, and they've been asking for more seasonal fruit ever since.
Through this experience, I realized I wanted to introduce more people to the seasonal fruits of Jeju. I was eager to share the knowledge that seemingly identical fruits can taste vastly different depending on the time of year.
At Island Box, we start with tangerines and expand our offerings to include the finest fresh fruits, seafood, and black pork from Jeju. As the name suggests, Island Box represents a gift box sent from Jeju Island.
Our goal is to create a healthy distribution ecosystem where both consumers and producers benefit. We aim to foster a symbiotic relationship where consumers enjoy higher quality products and producers receive higher incomes.
Q3. What is the most popular product at IB and why?
‘Ripe, Seasonal Tangerines Straight from the Tree’
While there's a common misconception that tangerines are exclusively a winter fruit, the truth is that different varieties have their own peak seasons. This means you can enjoy a variety of tangerines year-round.
For example, ‘Red Hyang’ in January and February, ‘Cheon Hye Hyang’ in March, ‘Halla Bong’ and ‘Gyul Lo Hyang’ in April and May, Greenhouse Tangerines from June to September, Field-grown tangerines and Hwang Geum Hyang in November and December.
IB offers a pre-order system that allows us to wait until each variety reaches its peak ripeness on the tree, ensuring you receive the most delicious fruit. In Korea, we offer an annual subscription service that delivers 4-6 deliveries of perfectly ripe, seasonal tangerines throughout the year.
Q4. Do they sell unripe tangerines at the market?
Jeju tangerines are readily available in urban areas, but their taste can be inconsistent. This is because most tangerines are picked prematurely and ripened artificially, leading to a subpar taste.
To ensure optimal ripeness, farmers would need to leave the tangerines on the trees longer, but this shortens their shelf life. As a result, the industry prioritizes early harvesting and artificial ripening.
Consumers are left to rely on luck when choosing tangerines, as they have no way of knowing when the fruit has reached its peak ripeness. The burden of selecting a delicious tangerine has shifted from the producers and distributors to the consumer.
Q5. I've always believed consumers should be responsible for selecting tasty fruit, but I'm starting to feel like that's an unfair expectation.
Consumers who pay for a product certainly have the right to enjoy delicious tangerines.
IB believes that its mission is to find the most delicious tangerines and provide them to consumers."
Q6. What steps do you take to source and deliver tangerines that are perfectly ripened on the tree?
First, we select potential suppliers from a pool of excellent producers. Through our partnership with Seogwipo Wimi Agricultural Cooperative, renowned for high-quality tangerines in Jeju Island, we monitor the cultivation process and select multiple top-performing producers based on their past records.
Second, we conduct taste tests to select the final top producer. Right before harvest, we sample the products from the shortlisted producers and conduct a comprehensive evaluation of their sweetness, acidity, and overall flavor to select the producer with the most delicious tangerines.
As a final step, we harvest the fruits from our selected top producer on the day they reach peak ripeness.
Using a refractometer ( tangerine sugar-to-acid ratio tester), we measure the Brix* and acid level to ensure that the sugar-to-acid ratio is optimal. While a Brix level 12 with 1% acid level is often considered a benchmark, IB goes beyond industry standards by selecting only tangerines with a Brix level ( sugar-to-acid ratio) between 13 and 15.
*One degree Brix (°Bx) represents one gram of sucrose (table sugar) in 100 grams of solution.
This ensures that our customers receive tangerines with exceptional flavor and a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. These carefully selected tangerines are then meticulously packaged and shipped.
To achieve the level of precision we strive for, we use a refractometer ( tangerine sugar-to-acid ratio tester). The taste of tangerines can be quite nuanced, with factors like the individual tree and its specific location within the orchard playing a significant role. By measuring the Brix level, we can identify the tangerines that offer the most consistent and exceptional flavor.
The IB process is like a slow-cooked meal; it takes time, but the result is a flavor that is rich and rewarding.
Q7. Talking with IB makes me crave the taste of a perfectly ripe tangerine. Your idea of a consumer-centric fruit market is refreshing. While it may seem challenging, I believe your smaller size gives you an advantage. As a consumer, I'm behind you.