Vendors pull in more business with customer service

Hello. The weather is cold these days isn’t it? When it’s cold we often think of hot food. A hot bowl of soup can really warm you up on a cold day. In North Korea, where the climate is colder and the winds harsher than in South Korea, hot food is on everyone’s mind this time of year. 

Potato noodle soup is popular with the residents of Ryanggang Province, a region known for being particularly mountainous, even in North Korea. Red bean porridge, a dish traditionally eaten on the winter solstice, becomes more available from then on. 

   

Food vendors at the jangmadang (market) are always contemplating new seasonal products to sell that will yield more profit. Just about everyone is entering the market business these days and as a result, product quality has risen and competition for customers has become fierce. These days, there is more emphasis on the consumer. 

Especially during winter, vendors in the jangmadang themselves also seek hot food, driving up demand for winter solstice porridge. It’s popular because it’s warm and is not commonly made at home.  

The market vendors react to the needs of the customers. For example in Ryanggang Province, food stalls put small dough balls made from potato into the porridge for added flavor. 

According to Daily NK sources, many vendors have started a type of delivery service, selling winter solstice porridge during lunch hours around the marketplace. They are also providing freshly-made kimchi free of charge, leading to greater popularity. 

Yes, in the northern alpine regions of Ryanggang or North Hamgyong Province, potato noodles reign supreme and it’s the most sought-after dish in both summer and winter. In the summer, it’s served cold and in winter it’s served in a hot soup. Potato noodles are also popular with consumers at the markets in the northern parts of North Korea, as well as the inland regions of South Pyongan province such as Pyongsong and Pyongyang, regardless of the season.  Where there is demand, there is supply, and many stalls sell potato noodles, not only at the jangmadang, but also at private restaurants too. 

There are places where they make noodles for you if you bring your own potato starch. Cost wise, this is much more economical than buying a bowl of potato noodles at a stall and the service is popular among thrifty housewives and women with little time on their hands. 

At the Hyesan Market, a bag of potato starch is being sold at 5000 KPW per kilo. If you take this to a private restaurant, they will press the starch into noodles for 3000 KPW. A kilo of potato starch supposedly makes 10 bowls of noodles. Isn’t it amazing that you can get 10 bowls of noodles for just 8000 KPW? 

On the other hand, a small bowl of potato noodle soup without meat is sold for 1000 KPW at the jangmadang. A big bowl of potato noodle soup with egg and a few pieces of pork sells for 5000 KPW. So spending 8000 KPW at the jangmadang will satisfy two to three people, but if you spend that money buying noodles at a private restaurant, you could feed a whole family. There are many residents who buy noodles from private restaurants, as it is much more economical to make homemade seasoned broth with pan-fried scallions to add to the noodles than to eat at the jangmadang. These days, private restaurants have no time to rest as they work from morning to night.