These Days, 'Eoljuka' No Matter What... DIY Cafe Culture Enjoyed My Way

Ediya Coffee, Analysis of Consumer Trends Based on Nationwide Sales Data
Main Consumption Keywords Over 5 Years: 'Eoljuka', 'Cafe-style Culture', 'Beverage DIY Craze'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] Just as the recent slang term ‘Eoljuka’ (literally “ice drink even if frozen to death”) has become popular, ice beverage sales have shown remarkable growth over the past five years. Additionally, as the cafe meal culture has solidified, desserts and bakery items have become highly popular.

◆The proportion of ice beverages increased over five years, while hot beverages decreased= On the 15th, Ediya Coffee, the first domestic coffee franchise to surpass 3,000 stores, analyzed changing cafe consumption trends based on sales data from the past five years. The results showed that the share of cold (ice) beverages increased, whereas warm (hot) beverages decreased.

This winter, due to abnormal weather conditions, warmer temperatures persisted compared to previous years, leading to an 18% increase in December ice Americano sales compared to the previous year, significantly boosting winter ice beverage sales. Furthermore, the average temperature in South Korea has risen by 0.3 degrees Celsius over the past five years, resulting in longer summers and milder winters, which is considered the main cause of increased ice beverage consumption.

Ediya Coffee’s total ice beverage sales rose 72% from approximately 60 million cups in 2015 to about 104 million cups last year. The proportion of ice beverages among total drinks also increased by about 3%, from 57% in 2015 to 60% in 2019. Conversely, the share of hot beverage sales decreased by approximately 7%, from 34% to 27% during the same period.

◆Cafe meal culture where customers enjoy everything from drinks to meals= With the spread of cafe meal culture, especially among younger consumers who enjoy not only desserts but also meals at cafes, Ediya Coffee’s bakery sales have shown an upward trend every year. In 2019, Ediya Coffee’s bakery product sales more than doubled compared to 2015. Meal-replacement bakery items made with various ingredients and premium dessert products have consistently received positive responses from consumers.

Currently, Ediya Coffee offers a total of 49 bakery and dessert products. Recently, they have consecutively launched bakery items loved by all ages, including two meal-replacement sandwiches?‘Egg Bacon Guacamole Sandwich’ and ‘Pepperoni Pizza Sandwich’?as well as ‘Croissant,’ ‘Garlic Cheese Bread,’ and ‘Taiwanese Ham and Cheese Sandwich.’

◆DIY-style ordering activated even in franchises to suit individual tastes= Ediya Coffee’s secret recipes, which became a hot topic on social networking services (SNS) such as ‘Ashatchu’ (adding an ice tea shot) and ‘Toshatchu’ (adding a toffee nut latte shot), have led to increased orders for additional menu options like espresso shots, whipped cream, and syrups. Driven by the DIY (Do It Yourself) trend among young customers who seek recipes tailored to their tastes, additional option orders more than doubled from 2.7 million in 2015 to 6.1 million last year.

An Ediya Coffee representative said, “As the largest coffee brand in Korea, having recently opened our 3,000th store, we analyze changing consumer trends every year through sales data from all over the country,” adding, “We will continue to introduce products that lead trends and enhance customer satisfaction based on big data.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.