Egg shop in Gangdong, Seoul for pregnancy meals: Fresh Farmer

The everyday eggs we started examining more closely after pregnancy

Ever since my wife became pregnant, we have started checking even ingredients we never used to think much about, one by one. Especially for eggs, which we have every morning, I wanted to look more carefully instead of simply choosing whatever was in the supermarket. That was how I found Fresh Farmer Olympic Park Foreon Direct Store (프레시파머 올림픽파크 포레온 직영점) in Dunchon-dong and decided to compare the eggs in person.

Fresh Farmer store information

• Address: B122, B1, Park Foreon, 1360 Yangjae-daero, Gangdong-gu, Seoul
• Hours: It was listed as open 24 hours a day, year-round. The information also listed daily hours of 00:00–24:00 and a 12:00–13:00 break.
• Delivery: Available weekdays from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM

There was a familiar face at the entrance: Son Yeon-jae is Fresh Farmer's official model. A headquarters staff member was stationed in the store, so I asked all sorts of questions about eggs. That was when I properly learned about shell codes.

What do egg shell codes mean?

I was told that eggs receive a shell code according to the hens' rearing environment.

• Code 1 (free-range): Eggs from hens raised roaming freely in an outdoor pasture; I was told this is the most nature-friendly option.
• Code 2 (barn floor): Eggs from hens raised on the floor of an indoor barn rather than in cages.
• Code 3 (enriched cage): Eggs from hens raised in improved cages with slightly more space per bird than conventional cages.
• Code 4 (conventional cage): Eggs from hens raised in narrow, densely packed wire cages.

Fresh Farmer sold only animal-welfare farm eggs with shell codes 1 and 2. When I mentioned that my wife was pregnant, the staff member recommended the code 1 line.

Both were free-range, code 1 eggs, but I was told that the organic natural free-range fertilized eggs are premium organic eggs with top-grade organic livestock certification, raised on 100% natural organic feed. I heard that many mothers preparing their babies' first weaning foods buy them, so as a couple about to become parents, we were especially interested.

Are darker yolks always better eggs?

What surprised us most was the yolk color. We had assumed that a deep orange yolk automatically meant a fresher, better egg. But the staff member explained that yolk color can be affected not only by freshness, but also by what the hen eats.

Feed ingredients such as chili seeds, turmeric, and paprika can produce a redder, deeper yolk, while the natural ingredients in organic feed can produce a pale, pastel-toned yolk. It made me realize that yolk color alone should not be the basis for judging an egg.

Comparing the taste as fried eggs at home

As soon as we got home, I made fried eggs first because I wanted to compare them properly.

From the moment I oiled the pan and cracked them in, the springiness of both yolks and whites felt different. I was told that a good egg visibly separates into three firm layers, like in the photo. Just as the staff member had explained, when I cracked the organic natural free-range fertilized egg, its yolk was a bright, pale pastel yellow, which was fascinating.

Fried eggs were, as expected, a great match for spicy, salty food such as kimchi-jjim (braised kimchi). Neither egg had any fishy taste at all, the yolks were deeply nutty, and the whites were springy too. The flavor difference was not dramatic, but the organic natural free-range yolk reminded me of nutty injeolmi powder, while the natural free-range yolk was more like chewy sesame powder. The organic whites had a much nicer bite, while my wife said she could not really tell the difference—but that both were delicious.

The day we made eggs Benedict and poached eggs

This time, I made the eggs Benedict I had really wanted to try with Fresh Farmer eggs. Since my wife became pregnant, we have been careful with soft-cooked eggs and have tried to eat them fully cooked whenever possible. But these eggs gave me the confidence that they would be reassuring in terms of freshness and hygiene, so I made it for her.

Of course, this is only my personal experience while cooking, but seeing the whites and yolks as I cracked and prepared the eggs gave me the impression that they were quite fresh.

Even when making poached eggs, the whites were firm, so they did not fall apart or slip through the sieve. Hollandaise sauce also needs to be made with raw yolk, so fresh eggs are essential—and the sauce came out with a lovely color.

My wife really loved the eggs Benedict. Seeing her enjoy one of her favorite foods deliciously and without worry for the first time in a while made me feel proud and happy too.

Use-by dates and subscriptions

I also heard that the use-by date is another advantage of Fresh Farmer eggs.

When I compared the date with eggs we already had at home, I could see a difference. Fresh Farmer says it delivers eggs freshly laid at its directly operated farm without intermediate distribution, so their use-by dates are much longer than ordinary retail eggs and the eggs stay fresh longer.

One of the systems that impressed me most while listening to the staff member was the subscription service.

Son Yeon-jae is also known to subscribe to Fresh Farmer eggs, so they are apparently famous as “Son Yeon-jae eggs” as well. After hearing the explanation in store and actually eating the eggs, I could see why there would be strong demand from people wanting good eggs delivered regularly.

My wife and I normally eat one egg a day. We have bibimbap (mixed rice) topped with freshly stir-fried namul (seasoned vegetable sides) and a fried egg, and in the morning we sometimes have a softly boiled egg with olives. Since we eat eggs almost every day, I thought receiving them through a subscription would be much more useful than going out to buy them or ordering every time. It can be used without delivery charges, and considering our baby's weaning foods once they are born, it could be good to keep using Fresh Farmer eggs regularly.

If you are looking for premium eggs in Dunchon-dong

At Fresh Farmer in Dunchon-dong, I learned more about eggs and why people choose premium ones. With code 1 and 2 eggs, high freshness, long use-by dates, and a subscription system, I would recommend it to anyone looking for ingredients they can feel comfortable eating or preparing weaning food for a child.