Fruteria may not look like much, but it's S. Korea's top Northwest cherry importer

HANAM, South Korea -- Compared to some Yakima Valley packing facilities, Fruteria, located in a suburb 13 miles east of Seoul, has the quality of a mom-and-pop operation: just a few trucks and a couple of cold storage and warehouse facilities.

But don't let the modest appearance fool you.

In just 11 years, Fruteria has emerged as the top importer of Pacific Northwest cherries, including Bing, Sweetheart and Chelan varieties, delivering about 40 percent of Northwest cherries to South Korean wholesalers and retailers in 2007.

President and CEO Lim Hyeong-seub started the company in 1997 because he wanted to specialize in a limited number of fruit varieties.

"We don't chase money," he said. "We think about why customers pay money for fruit."

Fruteria imports just 10 different fruits, including California oranges and Chilean grapes.

Wholesalers make up the majority of Fruteria's business, but it also sells directly to retailers, including Lotte Mart, a discount retailer owned by the Lotte Department Store company.

When the Northwest Cherry Growers association began promoting cherries aggressively in Korea, Fruteria was one of the first importers to help out by encouraging Lotte Mart to hold tasting demonstrations, said Keith Hu, the organization's international marketing director.

"They are definitely the leader on the importer side," he said. "(Other importers) saw how successful Fruteria was in the last two years. (Fruteria) created a larger playing field."