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[Jeon Eun-ji, Reporter at Handmaker]
According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute, the average meat consumption per person in South Korea surpassed 60 kilograms last year. This means that Koreans now consume more meat than rice, highlighting the growing interest in meat products. Recently, beyond the usual types of meat, goat meat is gaining attention as a health-boosting food. Convenience stores have even started selling goat stew, and since the law banning dog meat was passed this past January, goat meat has been gaining popularity as an alternative.
Although goat meat is not commonly found in everyday meals, there is an expert who has been importing and distributing high-quality Australian goat meat for over 30 years. Lee Yoon-Seung, CEO of Mountain Goat Meat and a second-generation business owner, is a young entrepreneur with a vision: to offer consumers high-quality, healthy goat meat at an affordable price.
I heard that you took over the family business. Could you tell us more about what kind of company Sanyang Meat is?
My father started the business around 1983, so it has been over 30 years. I grew up watching him work and naturally chose to major in livestock studies. I’ve been serving as the CEO for about five years now. Our main business involves directly importing goat meat from Australia and distributing it both wholesale and retail. We also supply meat for school meals and operate a private consignment transportation service for military bases.
Could you explain more specifically about the areas of operation your company is involved in?
Our main product is imported goat meat. Compared to domestically produced goat meat, imported meat costs less than half as much. By importing directly, we’re able to offer more affordable prices to both wholesale and retail clients. The meat is brought in frozen immediately after processing, and thanks to its high freshness, it typically sells out within three months. Because the quality is guaranteed, we not only sell goat meat products but also offer black goat extract.
What is the current market situation in this field?
There has been a shift in public sentiment, and with the passage of the “Special Act on the Prohibition of Dog Meat Consumption” in the National Assembly this past January, interest in alternative markets has grown significantly. One of the main alternatives that has emerged is goat meat. The law includes a three-year grace period, and as demand for dog meat declines, the demand for goat meat is rapidly increasing. From a nutritional standpoint as well, goat meat is considered even more beneficial than dog meat.
Achieving HACCP certification can be quite challenging. Could you tell us about the efforts and preparations your company undertook to meet the standards?
We obtained HACCP certification three years ago, starting with our school meal supply operations. We already had know-how in building HACCP-compliant production lines, and when we constructed a new facility three years ago, we placed even greater emphasis on cleanliness and hygiene. As a result, we received Smart HACCP certification. Since we deal with food—especially meals for children in schools—we’ve always believed that technology must go hand in hand with cleanliness, and we’ve paid special attention to maintaining the highest standards.
What sets Mountain Goat Meat apart from others in the industry?
I visit Australia once or twice a year to tour local facilities. I personally visit our partner companies and stay in regular contact with them to ensure consistent quality and a stable supply. Australia offers excellent quality due to its natural environment—goats are raised through free-range grazing, which contributes significantly to the meat’s quality.
More than anything, I believe our company was able to grow by securing an early foothold in the market thanks to my father’s efforts. He was the first to import goat meat into Korea, overcoming the challenges of language barriers and communication to get the business started.
It seems that your management philosophy is also quite unique. In the beginning, competition was fierce. That led me to consider how we could maintain stable operations through imports. I believed that if we supplied products to wholesalers and built close, long-term relationships as business partners, competition would naturally decrease.
Even if it meant lower profit margins, I felt that this was the right path to take. As a result, our products now account for about 80% of the domestic market.
I heard that they have also been continuing their activities in social contribution.
We regularly donate meat to underprivileged groups such as orphanages and nursing homes. Going forward, we hope to expand our donations and contributions as our company continues to grow in a better direction, in harmony with our employees.
What is the direction of your upcoming business initiatives?
Currently, we are operating as a B2B business. However, in line with distribution trends, we plan to expand into B2C as well. Since direct demand for goat meat at butcher shops is not as strong as it is for beef or pork, we aim to increase accessibility by selling it online to individual consumers or processing it into health food products.
Last year, our meal kit product even gained attention through home shopping, showing that general consumer interest is on the rise. While some customers still place orders through phone inquiries, we are currently working on establishing an online sales channel by registering with platforms like Smart Store.
What is your vision for the company you want to create?
I aspire to build a company that can import a wide range of livestock products at competitive prices and offer high-quality items directly to consumers.
Slaughtering is still viewed negatively in Korea. While there is some domestic supply infrastructure, the number of livestock is small, and there’s no established concept of native Korean breeds. Therefore, I plan to focus on sourcing from reliable overseas partners that prioritize animal welfare, and work toward building a positive perception of imported products in the local market.
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