Frush is a company that has been accumulating precision agriculture technology in the mushroom smart farm sector and is now driving data-based innovation in production and distribution. With a vision that extends beyond cultivation to being “a company that delivers health,” Frush is exploring new business models that transcend smart farm technology to contribute to holistic wellness and lifestyles. The company was founded in March 2025 by CEO Bo Hun Seo (26).
Frush is advancing its business with the ambitious goal of becoming a comprehensive superfood platform company. The company grows functional crops such as pine mushrooms and cauliflower mushrooms directly in cleanroom-based smart farms and sells them to consumers through D2C. It also provides smart farm equipment to farms, then buys their crops for distribution. Expanding on this, the company is standardizing smart farm solutions for various functional crops—not just mushrooms, but including Gastrodia elata and hemp—and is working to create a closed platform connecting growers of raw materials with companies that need them.
“We are now redefining our business, moving beyond the simple ‘functional crops’ category to ask a more fundamental question: ‘Isn’t health the ultimate value that consumers are seeking through all these ventures?’ Accordingly, while maintaining our core operations, we are pursuing a strategic pivot into new areas like wearable devices and IP content to realize the value of ‘health’ in more diverse ways.”
Frush’s first key advantage is its precision agriculture technology. Through its mushroom smart farm, the company is continuously building its competitive edge by developing AI-based environmental controls, crop yield prediction, and automated harvesting technologies.
Its second is a first-mover advantage in a specialized market. In Korea’s functional crop sector, few have attempted to integrate the entire value chain of production, processing, and distribution. Startups that systematically secure the necessary networks and on-the-ground data are even rarer. Frush possesses the unique capability to design and execute this integrated value chain holistically.
Its third is a consumer-centric purpose. Instead of a “build it and they will come” mentality, the company focuses first on identifying the value the market truly desires and then delivering a superior product to meet that need.
CEO Seo has established a D2C model centered on an online commerce platform, while simultaneously pursuing B2B supply contracts and collaborations with health food companies. This year, the company will participate in the 2025 AFPRO Agri-food Startup Fair to showcase its technology, formally kicking off its B2B network expansion and brand promotion efforts. Through these activities, Frush is expanding its touchpoints not only with consumers but also with partners, institutions, and investors.
Alongside CEO Seo, Frush is led by co-CEO Hyeonsu Oh, a Chungnam National University graduate who oversees logistics and operations. “While our scale is small, we have signed MOUs with partners across each part of the value chain and are driving progress through these collaborations. We address necessary functions through this network, which allows us to operate with great agility.”
Regarding future plans, CEO Seo said, “In the short term, we will confirm our new business model within this year and secure a foundation for growth through government support programs and investment early next year. In the medium term, we plan to enter overseas markets with a focus on the United States and Japan.” He added, “Frush’s goal is not merely to be an agriculture company, but to pioneer a new industrial model that connects health and technology.”
Date of Establishment: March 2025
Core Business: Smart farm equipment, functional crop cultivation and distribution platform, healthcare products and content.
Key Achievements: Smart farm model house currently under construction, Generating initial distribution revenue and conducting product MVP tests, Signed multiple MOUs with equipment, cultivation, and processing partners Conducting joint R&D with a Seoul National University research team Model standardization and patent application in progress, Achieved a 4.95/5.0 online customer satisfaction score, Filed trademark for a proprietary brand, Grand Prize, SNU CALS Entrepreneurship Competition. Excellence Award, NH AgTech Startup Campus.
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
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