'Im Young-woong Effect' Also Worked on Coffee Machines That Dispense Ice

Cheongho Nice's Coffee Machine Ice Water Purifier

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] Cheongho Nice's coffee machine that produces ice is gaining popularity. The convenience of combining the functions of a capsule coffee machine and an ice water purifier in one product is resonating in the market amid the prolonged 'home cafe' trend caused by COVID-19. The decision to feature trot singer Lim Young-woong, who has a broad fan base, as the promotional model also appears to have influenced its popularity. Cheongho Nice has set this year's sales target for the product at twice that of last year.

According to Cheongho Nice on the 17th, the total sales target for ice-producing coffee machines this year is 30,000 units, with the sales target for the new product 'Esprecafe,' launched in February last year, set at 20,000 units. Considering that Cheongho Nice sold 14,500 coffee machine ice purifiers and 10,000 units of the new Esprecafe last year, they are expecting a twofold increase in sales volume.

To achieve this, Cheongho Nice established a coffee business division at the end of last year and is making company-wide efforts to support it. The coffee business division is promoting the activation of Esprecafe sales, increasing capsule usage rates among existing customers, and laying the groundwork for expanding coffee-related businesses. The company explained that Chairman Jung Hwi-dong is personally overseeing the entire development process of the ice-producing coffee machine, showing strong commitment to the coffee business.

Since the beginning of this year, Esprecafe's popularity has continued to soar. The advertisement video for Esprecafe, released on their YouTube channel in January, has surpassed 5 million views in less than two months. The 'Lim Young-woong effect' is also credited with contributing to the increase in sales, according to industry evaluations. Last year, Cheongho Nice featured Lim Young-woong as the model for new products such as the 'Cheongho Untact Ice Water Purifier' and the 'Cheongho New Hero Air Purifier,' achieving market stabilization and increased sales. They are now seeing the Lim Young-woong effect in coffee machines following ice water purifiers and air purifiers.

Technology is also a foundation of its popularity. Since first introducing the ice-producing coffee machine in 2014, Cheongho Nice has continuously developed new technologies and applied them to this product line. The Esprecafe, launched in February last year, applied a new module to the coffee extraction part, which is evaluated to have somewhat reduced bitterness while enhancing overall balance and smoothness of the coffee. This is the result of efforts to upgrade coffee taste in addition to providing clean ice and water through the ice water purifier function. Despite incorporating all functions of a coffee machine and ice water purifier, its size is compact at 29 cm in width. The control buttons are separated by coffee machine and ice water purifier functions, making it easy and convenient for anyone to use.

A Cheongho Nice official said, "The ice-producing coffee machine focuses on the ice water purifier function but goes beyond simple coffee extraction to easily make and enjoy high-quality coffee with deeper taste and aroma, which is receiving a hot response in the market."

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