Hello Nature (Byung Yul Park, CEO), an online grocery retail startup, has announced a US$1.4 million investment from Softbank Ventures and Mirae Asset Venture Investment.

Organic foods are popular among Koreans, and according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the organic food market is expected to reach near four billion dollars by 2014. Unlike other online grocery retailers in Korea, Hello Nature offers compact package delivery services called “nature-friendly grocery shopping.”

The service sorts, packs, and delivers portions of fresh groceries that better serve individuals and smaller households. In the beginning, the service started with 100 package variations, and has now further diversified its product line to more than 1,000 variations. Hello Nature recently revamped its website and mobile app, upgrading its UI and customer loyalty program. It also introduced food recipes designed for each package. Hello Nature also offers free shipping for purchase of $40 and above, and a 50% discount to new customers.