Industry

SK Planet will acquire online food retailer HelloNature

SK Planet, operator of leading e-commerce site 11th St, will acquire online food retailer HelloNature in an effort to strengthen its fresh food segment.

SK Planet said Thursday that it will purchase 100 percent of the food retailer’s shares and operate it as an independent affiliated company.

HelloNature was founded in 2012 as a food retail start-up. It connects food producers with consumers through online and mobile channels. Customers can buy fruits, vegetables, processed food and ready-made side dishes, then get them delivered within 24 hours. The service currently has 200,000 members and saw a 350 percent revenue increase in the past year.

“With the acquisition of HelloNature, SK Planet will expand the platform to be more than just an open market,” the e-commerce operator said in a press release. “The acquisition is expected to generate synergy.”