Turns out the grapes are not greener on the other side

Home > Culture > Food & Travel

print dictionary print

Turns out the grapes are not greener on the other side

Shine muscat is a variety of seedless green grapes with a higher sugar content than those of other grapes [JOONGANG ILBO]

Shine muscat is a variety of seedless green grapes with a higher sugar content than those of other grapes [JOONGANG ILBO]

 
Bunches of shine muscat grapes — a variety of sweet and seedless green grape that pioneered Korea's luxury fruits sector  — will not be included in the upcoming Seollal (Lunar New Year) gift box that homemaker Kim Eun-jung is preparing to send to her in-laws this year.  
 
They used to take center stage in Seollal gift boxes Kim prepared in previous years, but after experiencing a string of subpar grapes in recent months, she decided to rule them out this holiday.  
 
“Buying shine muscat grapes these days feels like doing a very expensive lucky draw, with some that taste bland or even bitter,” she said. “And I’m surely not looking to take any chances with a gift for my in-laws on Seollal.”  
 
Kim isn’t the only one who has decided against purchasing shine muscat grapes. Similar comments complaining about the taste of the fruit are ubiquitous online. Grapes, including shine muscats, ranked as the fourth-most sold fruit in December last year in Lotte Mart, which is one ranking lower than 2020 and 2021.  
 
The main cause of ill-tasting grapes is largely attributed to sloppy quality checks by producers who rush to meet high demand, according to industry insiders.  
 
Premium fruit gift packages [YONHAP]

Premium fruit gift packages [YONHAP]

 
Korea began farming these premium hybrids in the late 2000s. Their sales took off around 2018 and 2019, appealing to local consumers with their rich flavor, high sugar content and crunchy texture, despite the high price, which at the time was around 39,000 won ($32) per 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) according to Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corp. They also have a thinner peel and no seeds, rendering them not only delicious but easy to eat.

 
“Compared to three years ago, the orders for the grapes last year have as much as tripled and this led to rushed quality inspection checks,” said an employee from Gimcheon City Agricultural Center. Gimcheon in North Gyeongsang grows the most shine muscat grapes in Korea with around 5,700 farms.  
 
She added that the problem also lies in the method that the grapes are farmed.  
 
“Like all fruits, they need to be harvested at the right time, when they reach 17 to 18 degrees Brix of sweetness, but some were harvested prematurely which led to grapes that were not up to par.”  
 
Brix degrees indicate the amount of total soluble solids, which are mainly sugar, in a fruit. 
 

Currently, shine muscat grapes produced in Gimcheon must weigh between 500 grams to 850 grams and have a sugar content of at least 18 degrees on the Brix scale before they can be sold.  
 
The number of farms producing shine muscat grapes has exponentially grown over the past few years.  
 
According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute, some 4,000 hectares, or 42 percent of the total land area of grape fields in Korea are allotted to farming the shine muscat variety. In 2018, only 7.4 percent of vineyards were used to farm shine muscat grapes. The fruit is currently the most farmed variety of grape in Korea, surpassing campbell grapes which had taken first place for 11 consecutive years before 2018.  
 
Their price, accordingly, significantly decreased.  
 
The consumer price per 2 kilograms of shine muscat grapes on Jan. 16 was 26,466 won, down some 15,000 won from the 42,225 won during the same time last year as reported by the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corp.  
 
But the lowered price point didn’t persuade Kim to purchase. 

 
“I had been bringing shine muscat grapes on visits to families during national holidays for the past two years because everyone including young kids and the older members of the family found them delicious,” said Kim, “but after a few faulty grapes in the past several months, I would rather spend my money on something else.”  

 
For this Seollal visit, she has put in an order for rabbit-shaped butter cookies and an herbal tea set instead of the grapes.

 
Shine muscats are wrapped and ready to be sold [JOONGANG ILBO]

Shine muscats are wrapped and ready to be sold [JOONGANG ILBO]

 
To overcome the grape’s tainted reputation, department stores and retailers have set out to boost sales of what they claim is an “upgraded version” of the shine muscat.  
 
Shinsegae Department Store is offering “royal muscat grapes” which are shine muscat that have gone under stricter quality inspections and cost over 60,000 won, about two times more expensive than regular shine muscat grapes. 
 
“Each grape must have a consistent shape, weighing 16 grams per grape and 950 grams per cluster and have sugar content of at least 17 degrees Brix,” reads the guidelines on Asil’s website, which is a company working with Shinsegae Department Store to properly select grapes that are eligible to be included in the store’s Seollal gift set.  
 
Emart sells “premium” shine muscat that has 16 degrees Brix or higher sugar content, according to employee Kim Chae-un. “We run thorough quality inspection checks at some 280 shine muscat farms that we get our product from so that our customers can enjoy grapes with consistent taste.”  
 
Lotte Department Store is offering shine muscat grapes with 18 degrees Brix which is two units higher than the grapes’ regular sugar content of 16 degrees Brix.  
 
On the shelves of grocery stores, retailers are stocking other exotic fruits as shine muscat’s popularity fades.  
 
Emart in December launched calypso mango, which is a variety of Australian mango with a blush skin. They are known to have a thinner peel, smaller seed and therefore, more fruit. Emart also says that the fruit is harder than regular mangos, making them more suitable to be incorporated into different dishes. On ssg.com, Emart’s online shop, the mangos are sold in packages of either three or six for 25,900 and 44,900 won.  
 
Calypso mango [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Calypso mango [SCREEN CAPTURE]

 
Since last September, the retailer has been offering eureka blueberries which are a variety that is bigger and crunchier, red kiwis which have a higher sugar content than regular kiwis and some 10 different kinds of strawberries including Korean white strawberries.  
 
Even though these fruits cost as much as 30 percent more than the originals, Emart reports that they are steady sellers, even selling out in some branches.  
 
“As the local consumers’ palate continues to evolve, sales of exotic varieties of fruit are growing significantly,” said Emart’s Kim. “Even though they are more expensive, they have higher sugar content or are bigger in size compared to regular fruits, which is largely why they sell — customers are more satisfied. Also, because there are more options to try new fruits, people curious about them buy these products.”  
 

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]
Log in to Twitter or Facebook account to connect
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
help-image Social comment?
s
lock icon

To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.

Standards Board Policy (0/250자)