<h1>Unique Social Economy Products from a Korean Cooperative Market</h1>

 

(Photo by Milly)

On July 3rd, in celebration of Cooperative Week and the International Day of Cooperatives (July 5th), the "Cooperative Week Event" was held. This year (2025) held special significance as it marks the second UN-designated International Year of Cooperatives.

 

While the opening ceremony and policy-academic conferences were being held inside the venue, a small flea market was set up outside where cooperatives sold the products they manufacture or distribute. Many visitors were seen browsing and shopping at the market I, too, purchased a few items I needed. Here are some of the socially valuable products I’d like to share:

 

"SRT 300 Sand" – I bought two boxes that day. Perfect with coffee! I've already eaten most of them... only a few left.😅 (Photo by Milly)

🍪🍰🍬SRT 300 Sand Series

The first booth I visited was selling the SRT 300 Sand cookies. These cookies are produced by the social enterprise Sobakhan Poongkyung Co., Ltd. and distributed by Value Plus Social Cooperative. They are butter cookies filled with cream of different flavors. I tried the corn sand and green onion sand they tasted both unique and familiar.

 

I later found out that they’re made with rice flour instead of wheat flour. Perhaps that’s why they felt lighter on the stomach and paired nicely with coffee. (As someone who makes a serious effort to eat healthily, I really appreciated this product.)

 

The producer, Sobakhan Poongkyung, is a social enterprise that creates sustainable co-prosperity models for small business owners and local social economy companies. Given that Korea faces a pressing issue of rural depopulation, this enterprise plays a significant role in revitalizing local communities. The distributor, Value Plus Social Cooperative, supports marketing channels in the public procurement sector and promotes the local social economy.

 

You can also find the SRT 300 Sand cookies at Suseo SRT Station and on their online shop. It might make a great snack for your next train trip!

 

"Iroounpul Broth Pack" – Made with natural plant-based ingredients, so even vegans can enjoy it with peace of mind.(Photo by Milly)

🍵🍴🍜 E-Roun Pool (Herbal Soup Pouch)

From E-Pool Herb Cooperative, I bought a product called E-Roun Pool Herbal Soup Pouch. These are soup base tea bags made with natural ingredients perfect for someone like me who often uses soup stock in cooking.

 

These soup pouches are vegan-certified. They combine various plant-based ingredients sourced from nature. All ingredients are Korean-grown, which fits my preference for local products. Simply add one pouch to boiling water and steep for 3 minutes. You’ll get a clear, rich vegetable broth that varies in flavor mild, savory, or deep depending on the blend. I found it useful for adding clean, umami-rich flavor to dishes.

 

E-Pool Herb Cooperative consists of herbal farmers, office workers, and consumers. The cooperative was formed with the goal of fairly pricing and trading healthful herbs even if they look a little less attractive. The cooperative uses environmentally friendly farming practices that value both people and the land.

 

"Sarangiyagi Face Soaps" – The values behind these soaps are beautiful, but seriously, aren’t the colors just so pretty? (Photo by Milly)

👦👧💦💧😝 Love Story Facial Soaps

I also bought a four-piece set of handmade facial soaps made from natural ingredients. The colors red, yellow, green, and brown caught my eye at first!

 

Each soap features a different main ingredient: noni, gardenia yellow, paprika, and barley sprouts. They are made with plant-based natural extracts, and as soon as I opened the box, the lovely scent made me want to use them even more.

 

The producer and seller, Love Story Social Cooperative, offers vocational training for people with disabilities to help them improve their job skills and provide them with work opportunities under supportive conditions. The staff member at the booth explained that the soaps were handcrafted by their workers with disabilities.

 

🍎🍏

These were the major products I bought at the flea market. (I also picked up a few accessories, which I’ll review in a future post!) Each cooperative has its own mission and values, but they all share one thing in common: a commitment to running a sustainable business without discrimination or inequality.

 

When I open my wallet and choose to spend money, that act can provide someone with a job or help keep a community alive. Since I needed these products anyway, I wanted my spending to be a meaningful act that helps society move in a better direction.