Gangwon province in South Korea is famous for the production of potatoes. However, the coronavirus has hit restaurant demand to produce hard and 11,000 tons risk spoiling if they do not reach consumers by April. The local farmers’ guild and the government launched a campaign to boost online potato sales and citizens are responding in mass to support these farmers.

The online price is less than a third of what the potatoes usually retail for, but thanks to an effective social media marketing campaign, the online shop had to increase its maximum order capacity from 1,400 to 8,000 boxes of potatoes a day to meet high consumer demand.

The promotional strategy is simple, but it successfully offers Koreans an easy and affordable way to support small farmers by buying goods they already usually purchase. The Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, has implemented a similar strategy for local vegetable farmers who lost a significant client base after local school cafeterias closed. 

Effective marketing and convenient delivery options are helping connect producers and consumers in a time of economic uncertainty. Encouraging citizens to support local businesses and farmers is a solution for helping community members who are being financially impacted by COVID-19.