Green Village

What Green Village does

Green Village (초록마을, The Chorocmaeul Co., Ltd.) is a South Korea-based eco-friendly and organic food retailer founded in December 1999. It operates a dual-channel model consisting of 470+ nationwide brick-and-mortar stores (franchise and company-owned) complemented by an e-commerce platform (choroc.com) with same-day store delivery and next-day general delivery across South Korea (excluding remote islands such as Jeju). The company serves mass-market health-conscious (LOHAS) Korean consumers seeking verified safe food, plus B2B customers including schools, kindergartens, and children's facilities requiring certified organic meal ingredients, with a dedicated infant/young-child sub-brand (Choroc Baby / 초록베베).

Its product catalog spans 14+ major categories — fresh produce, meat/seafood, dairy, noodles/processed foods, seasonings, snacks, beverages, health supplements, cosmetics/household goods, and gift sets — totaling 1,500+ eco-certified SKUs. Underlying infrastructure includes an industry-first dedicated cold-chain logistics center (opened 2008), a proprietary multi-layer safety management system (residual pesticide testing across 463 compounds 6x/year, antibiotic/heavy-metal/microbiological/radiation testing, production traceability), an ISMS-pursuing information security posture, and a Hazardous Product Sales Blocking System certified by the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Direct-from-farm sourcing is secured via MOUs with the Korea Organic Farming Association and multiple county-level agricultural cooperatives.

Revenue is generated primarily through physical retail product sales, supplemented by online channel sales, franchise fees/royalties from the 470+ store network, and B2B school meal supply. Pricing is unit-based with a tiered KRW 3,000 delivery fee structure (free shipping over KRW 40,000) and a tiered loyalty program (GrEEn Card / 초록마을 멤버스) offering 1–4% green mileage accumulation plus 20% special mileage for affiliated partners. The company operates as a privately held South Korean stock company led by Representative Director Kim Jae-yeon (김재연); disclosed revenue milestones are KRW 100B (2009) and KRW 200B (2015), with no recent disclosed revenue figure.

Name

Green Village

Legal name

(주)초록마을 (The Chorocmaeul Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://choroc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Green Village (초록마을) is a South Korean eco-friendly organic food retailer founded in 1999, operating 470+ nationwide franchise and company-owned stores plus an e-commerce platform, serving health-conscious consumers, families with infants, and educational institutions with certified organic groceries across 1,500+ SKUs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Grocery Retail

NAICS

Grocery and Convenience Retailers (4451), Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (445230)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural/Organic Supermarkets & Chains (CRAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Organic Produce & Farm Market Retail (CRAHAEAD)

Keywords

• Organic food retail
• Eco-friendly grocery
• Franchise retail chain
• Cold chain logistics
• Online grocery delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Physical Retail Store Sales: Revenue generated from product sales across 470+ nationwide franchise and company-owned eco-friendly organic grocery stores. Stores offer 1,500+ SKUs across fresh produce, meats, seafood, dairy, snacks, beverages, health supplements, cosmetics, and household goods.
2. E-commerce Online Sales: Revenue from online shopping mall (www.choroc.com) offering same-category products as physical stores, with store delivery (same-day) and general delivery (next-day) options. Online platform also features promotional events, discount coupons, and point accumulation.
3. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Revenue from franchise model — the company recruits franchisees through fc.choroc.com, provides brand, supply chain, logistics, and operational support in exchange for franchise fees and ongoing royalties. Store opening allowance and performance incentives are offered to franchisees.
4. B2B School/Kindergarten Meal Supply: Supply of safe agricultural products and meal ingredients to schools, kindergartens, and children's facilities. Part of the company's mission to promote healthy eating habits among children.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Green Village (초록마을) operates a dual-channel retail model selling 1,500+ certified organic and eco-friendly SKUs across 14 categories (fresh produce, grains, seafood, meat, processed foods, dairy, health supplements, cosmetics, household goods) via 470+ brick-and-mortar stores and the www.choroc.com e-commerce platform with nationwide cold-chain delivery. The offering is supported by a proprietary six-layer safety management system (pesticide, antibiotic, heavy metal, microbiological, radiation, and traceability testing) and an industry-first dedicated cold-chain logistics center opened in 2008.

Product overview

Green Village (초록마을) operates as an organic and eco-friendly grocery retailer offering a dual-channel model through physical stores (over 470 nationwide) and an online shopping mall. The core offerings include 15 main product categories spanning fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, rice/grains, seafood, meat), processed foods (noodles, side dishes, soups, seasonings, snacks, beverages, dairy), health supplements, and household products. The company also offers specialized sub-brands including 초록베베 for infant products and 초록마을 멤버스 for integrated membership services. Supporting infrastructure includes a dedicated logistics center with cold chain capabilities for nationwide distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 초록베베 (Choroc Baby): Baby and infant care product sub-brand under Green Village, offering organic and eco-friendly products for infants and young children.

Products and services

• Green Village Physical Retail Store Chain 470+ brick-and-mortar eco-friendly organic grocery stores across South Korea selling 1,500+ certified SKUs across 14 categories (fruits, vegetables, rice/grains, seafood, meat, noodles/processed foods, simple meals, seasonings/oils, snacks/bread, tea/beverages, dairy, health supplements, cosmetics/household goods, gift sets, Choroc Bebe baby line). Stores are operated as a mix of company-owned and franchise locations under the CHOROC brand.
• Choroc Online Shopping Mall (www.choroc.com) Full-featured e-commerce platform offering the same product range as physical stores, with two delivery modes: same-day store delivery from the nearest store and next-day general courier delivery for orders placed before 10 PM. Free shipping is offered for orders above KRW 40,000.
• Green Village Franchise Program Franchise offering providing brand, supply chain, logistics, and operational support to franchisees in exchange for franchise fees and ongoing royalties. Recruitment is handled via fc.choroc.com with a startup inquiry line (1544-6266), and the company offers store opening allowance and performance incentives.
• Choroc Members (초록마을 멤버스) Loyalty Program Integrated membership program providing a unified member ID, point accumulation and redemption (mileage), coupon distribution, and personalized marketing communications via email and SMS. Pairs with the Green Card (1-4% green mileage at all nationwide stores) and co-branded BC Card partnership for cross-channel benefits.
• Choroc Bebe (초록베베) Infant and Baby Product Line Specialized sub-brand and product line offering safe, certified organic agricultural products specifically curated for infants and young children, addressing parental concerns about chemical residues in baby food and products. Sold through both physical stores and the choroc.com online category.
• Cold-Chain Logistics and Distribution Service Industry-first dedicated logistics center with full cold-chain management that enables nationwide same-day and next-day delivery, preserving product freshness from the distribution center through to customer delivery across the 470+ store and e-commerce network.
• B2B School Meal Supply Direct supply of certified safe agricultural products and meal ingredients to schools, kindergartens, and children's facilities as part of the company's mission to promote healthy eating habits among children. Leverages the same six-layer safety management system as retail channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• 470+ stores and 1,500+ products across South Korea
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.

• 충남 홍성군 (Hongseong County, South Chungcheong Province)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2013'1사1촌 농촌사랑운동' (One Company, One Village Rural Love Movement) sister city partnership with Hongseong County for rural community support and agricultural product sourcing.
• 우리밀영농조합 (Woorimil Farming Cooperative)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2012MOU with Woorimil Farming Cooperative and Gimje City / Korea Organic Farming Association for agricultural product sales, supporting direct farm-to-store supply chain.
• 파주 친환경 농업인 연합회 (Paju Eco-Friendly Farmers Association)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2011MOU for organic rice purchasing from Paju Eco-Friendly Farmers Association, part of the company's direct-from-farm sourcing strategy.
• 대한상공회의소 (Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2011Partnership for the '위해 상품 차단 시스템 운영매장 인증' (Hazardous Product Sales Blocking System Certification) — certified by the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry for stores operating product safety screening systems.
• 산청군 및 산청군농업협동조합 (Sancheong County & Agricultural Cooperative)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2011MOU signed with Sancheong County and its agricultural cooperative for agricultural product distribution support and farm income enhancement.
• 환경부 (Ministry of Environment, South Korea)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2011MOU signed in February 2011 with the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for promoting eco-friendly agricultural product distribution. Includes participation in the Green Campaign with green card introduction and green store operations. The company holds the highest number of Environment Ministry-certified green stores (137 locations).
• 한국유기농업협회 (Korea Organic Farming Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010MOU signed for organic rice purchasing from the Korea Organic Farming Association, supporting the supply chain for certified organic agricultural products.
• 국립농산물품질관리원 (National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service)coreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial testing partner for pesticide residue testing. The company's safety management system uses nationally accredited testing institutions including the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service for testing 463 pesticide types 6 times per year.
• (주)한진, 대상(주), CJ대한통운, 팀프레시 (Hanjin, Daedong, CJ Korea Express, Team Fresh)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLogistics and delivery partners handling order product delivery, event prize delivery, shipping information collection, and delivery service provision. Part of the cold chain distribution network.
• 서울보증보험(주) (Seoul Guarantee Insurance)minorOthersProvides purchase safety insurance service (소비자피해보상보험) for consumers. Protects buyers in cases of non-delivery, returns, and refund refusals or shopping mall bankruptcy.
• (주)카카오페이 (KakaoPay)majorTechnology or IntegrationPayment and loyalty integration partner. Provides payment services for membership point accumulation and redemption through the KakaoPay platform, enabling seamless checkout on the Green Village platform.
• 비씨카드 주식회사 (BC Card)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-branded card partnership for the 초록마을 전용 제휴카드 (dedicated co-branded card), providing membership point services through the BC Card network.
• (주)정육각 (Jeongyukgak)majorTechnology or IntegrationStatistical data compilation, market research, CRM marketing information utilization, and information system development and operation. Primary technology and data partner for customer relationship management.
• 어린어린재단 초록우산 (Korea Children's Foundation Green Umbrella)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partnership — Green Village donates 1% of infant and children's product sales to the Children's Foundation Green Umbrella program, supporting education for underprivileged children and child violence prevention programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Natural Grocers (Vitamin Cottage): US specialty retailer operating 100+ natural and organic grocery stores with emphasis on strict product-quality standards and education. Comparable in its focused natural/organic assortment and certified-supply-chain ethos.
• Sprouts Farmers Market: US specialty grocer focused on fresh, natural and organic products with a smaller-store footprint and value-oriented positioning. Comparable store-format economics and category emphasis on fresh produce and natural packaged goods, serving a similar health-conscious consumer.
• iCoop (Korea iCoop): Korean consumer cooperative federation operating an organic/eco-friendly distribution and retail network, including online ordering and producer-direct supply. Comparable to Green Village in its eco-organic positioning and member-driven model serving health-conscious Korean consumers.
• Hansalim: Korea's largest consumer cooperative specializing in eco-friendly, organic and producer-direct food distribution. Most direct Korean competitor to Green Village's organic grocery retail proposition, sharing LOHAS consumer base and emphasis on certified-producer sourcing.

Broad incumbents

• E-mart (Emart): Korea's largest hypermarket/discount retailer with growing organic/private-label assortment. Competes with Green Village for the same household organic spend at much broader scale, including private-label organic lines.
• Coupang (Fresh / Coupang Eats): Korea-leading e-commerce and quick-commerce operator with a rapidly growing fresh and organic private-label assortment. Competes with Green Village on online organic grocery delivery and convenience for Korean consumers.
• Whole Foods Market: Global benchmark for natural and organic specialty grocery retail, now part of Amazon. Closest international analogue in product mix (fresh, organic, specialty) and customer base (health-conscious consumers), though operates at much larger scale in North America.
• Lotte Mart: Korea's second-largest hypermarket chain, with premium private-label organic brands and growing online grocery. Adjacent competitor for shelf-share and online organic orders with vastly larger parent backing.

Others

• Maeil Dairies (Maeil) Organic Line: Leading Korean dairy and packaged-food producer with established organic product lines that supply retailers including Green Village. Adjacent ecosystem participant on the producer/supplier side rather than direct retail competitor.

Emerging players

• Kurly (Market Kurly): Korean dawn-delivery online grocery retailer that has scaled an organic/producer-direct assortment with cold-chain logistics. Directly comparable to Green Village's cold-chain + e-commerce model but without the 470+ physical store footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/chorocmaeul

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Green Village