Q TELL US ABOUT THE ROOT COMPANY.

We are a start-up hoping to make an impact on agriculture and food based in Gangwon-do. We manage potatoes, which is a symbol and tourist staple of Gangwon-do, from their seeds to their agricultural production and processing as food. We breed the seeds and manage Potato Park, a food culture space proposing a new food culture, by utilizing potatoes cultivated in Gangwon-do. At the “Grocery & Deli” on the first floor, we introduce the regional agriculture and food, and tourists can enjoy casual dining on the second floor Kitchen.

Q DO YOU MAKE POPA CHIPS WITH DEFECTIVE POTATOES?

One third of potatoes are thrown away during the distribution process for being ugly. For farmers, this is a waste of cost, time, and labor, and for the environment, it’s a greenhouse gas problem. The Root Company purchases ugly potatoes from producers and, thus, creates income for farmers and new value with nonstandard farmed produce. And I developed a snack with a defective potato.

Q THE POTATO CHARACTER DRAWN ON THE PACKAGING IS IMPRESSIVE.

His name is “Popa.” He is the official character of our Potato Park. He plays the role of introducing the region’s agricultural and food experience, traveling in Gangneung, and delivering other content and messages that The Root Company wants to send.

Q DO POPA CHIPS BOAST OF THICKNESS UNLIKE OTHER POTATO CHIPS SOLD IN THE MARKET?

We wanted to make potato chips from which one could better taste the nutty flavor of potatoes. Our chips are three to five times thicker than the existing ones so that consumers may fully enjoy the deep flavor of potatoes. Also, an expert who has researched potato chips for over 30 years in a large enterprise has joined us and is working hard to help us develop the best products.

Q WHAT PART DID YOU PAY THE MOST ATTENTION TO WHILE PRODUCING THE PRODUCT?

It was a way to use ugly potatoes. Because their shapes are irregular and many have damaged parts, we could not help but incur much loss and human labor during the production process. After much trial and error, we now have a system in place for efficient production. We also shared the news of our participation in the contest with the local farmers and confirmed that “Popa Chips” had a positive impact on the local farmers’ sales. The contest provided us with the opportunity to think one more on the impact of our company on the region.

Q WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?

We want to continue doing business that helps stabilize the income source of farmers and connect it to the development of the products representing Gangneung. We want to make diverse products using ugly potatoes and make premium potato chips from Gangneung.