Esprecafe Becomes the Future of Cheongho Nice

Early Achievement Despite Two Goal Upgrades
Expected to Serve as a Stepping Stone for Market Rebound

Cheongho Espresso Cafe

Cheongho Nice's ice-dispensing coffee machine, 'Esprecafe,' has achieved sales far exceeding this year's target. The convenience of combining the functions of a capsule coffee machine and an ice water purifier into one product has proven successful. Esprecafe is being recognized as the 'savior' of Cheongho Nice, which has been unsettled recently due to management changes and considerations of external investment.

According to industry sources on the 19th, the estimated sales volume of Esprecafe this year is approaching 40,000 units. Esprecafe was launched in February last year as Cheongho Nice's new ice-dispensing coffee machine and sold 10,000 units throughout the year. Based on this achievement, the initial target for this year was set at twice last year's sales. However, after exceeding expectations in the first quarter, the annual target was revised upward from double to triple the previous year. This sales goal was achieved early within three quarters, and strong sales continued afterward, resulting in an annual sales figure reaching 40,000 units.

At the end of last year, Cheongho Nice established a coffee business division and has been providing company-wide support to expand Esprecafe sales this year. This reflects the coffee business commitment of Chairman Jeong Hwi-dong, who personally oversaw the entire development process of the ice-dispensing coffee machine. The coffee business division is promoting the activation of Esprecafe product sales, increasing capsule usage among existing customers, and laying the foundation for expanding coffee-related businesses.

Featuring singer Lim Young-woong, who has a broad fan base, as the promotional model also boosted Esprecafe sales. The advertisement video for Esprecafe, released on the YouTube channel in January this year, attracted significant attention with 15 million views.

Esprecafe is also regarded as a demonstration of Cheongho Nice's technological prowess. Since first introducing the ice-dispensing coffee machine in 2014, Cheongho Nice has continuously developed new technologies. In the case of Esprecafe, a new module was applied to the coffee extraction unit to reduce bitterness and enhance overall balance and smoothness. While incorporating all the functions of a coffee machine and an ice water purifier, the size was reduced to a width of 29 cm.

Industry experts see this technological competitiveness as a stepping stone for Cheongho Nice's resurgence. After CEO Oh Jeong-won resigned last month, Vice Chairman Jeong Hwi-cheol has taken over as CEO. With increasing competition in the home appliance market, the company has also considered attracting external investment. An industry insider said, "In a situation where market competition is intensifying, each company is focusing on differentiated products and services," adding, "The ice-dispensing coffee machine was recognized in the market for focusing on the ice water purifier function while also allowing users to easily make and enjoy high-quality coffee."

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