Whiskey Without 'Dokgi', Breakthrough in Sales with Champagne and Beer

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Due to the 52-hour workweek system, the enforcement of the Kim Young-ran Act, and the impact of COVID-19, the consumption of soju has decreased, leading whiskey companies to turn their attention to champagne and beer.

Entering the Market with K-Champagne

On the 17th, Interliquor, a subsidiary of Drink International, introduced the French traditional luxury champagne ‘Golden Blanc Series.’ As sales of Whiskey Imperial declined and solo drinking and home drinking trends became more prominent, they shifted their focus to the champagne market.

The premium product ‘Golden Blanc 5 Star’ is produced by the prestigious champagne house Bollero Champagne House, which has been family-run for six generations over 215 years since its establishment in 1805. Only grapes grown in vineyards owned by the Bollero family are used, and every manufacturing process?from grape cultivation, harvesting, pressing, blending, aging, to bottling?is 100% directly managed. Unlike mid-priced champagnes aged for 15 months, it undergoes 36 months of aging, resulting in a delicate flavor. The golden metal painting technique, used only for high-end champagnes, adds value. Golden Blanc 5 Star is the first champagne brand in South Korea officially licensed by the French Champagne Association. The 3 Star, 4 Star, and 5 Star products offer the luxurious flavor of champagne at reasonable prices. Kim Il-ju, chairman of Interliquor, stated, "Based on the love of Korean consumers, who are among the most discerning palates worldwide, we plan to grow this into a global champagne brand."

Targeting the MZ Generation with Non-Alcoholic Beer

Diageo Korea, which sells Whiskey Windsor, and Golden Blue are targeting the beer market. To expand the Guinness business, Diageo Korea operated a pop-up store last September in collaboration with the barbecue specialty restaurant ‘Low and Slow.’ Earlier in February, they released a collaboration menu ‘Guinness Pu Pad Pong Curry’ with Asian food specialty store Saint Augustin. Diageo Korea’s sales from July last year to June this year were 193.255 billion KRW, a 3.6% decrease. While sales of Whiskey Windsor consumed in entertainment bars sharply declined by double digits, beer sales increased, and sales of highballs using low-alcohol whiskey rose, resulting in a single-digit decline. Golden Blue is also targeting niche markets by introducing ‘Carlsberg 0.0,’ a non-alcoholic beer with the lowest calories and less than 0.05% alcohol content among imported beers, reflecting health-conscious drinking habits.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, the whiskey market experienced an unprecedented slump last year. According to customs import-export trade statistics, whiskey import value last year was 132.46 million USD, the lowest since 1999 (115.92 million USD) during the IMF financial crisis. Whiskey import values have been declining for several years, with 154.98 million USD in 2018 and 153.93 million USD in 2019. Most whiskey distributed domestically is imported. This year, the market is showing signs of recovery. From January to October, whiskey import value reached 134.75 million USD, already surpassing last year’s total. An industry insider said, "Whiskey consumption has partially recovered in the second half of the year, but it is difficult to fully restore previous performance due to the slow normalization of entertainment bars. To meet diverse consumer tastes, whiskey companies will continue new attempts with champagne, beer, wine, and beverages."

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