Convenience Store Industry Hits Summer Peak... Betting on Unique Alcohol Releases

The alcoholic beverage industry is heating up with new product launches as it welcomes the first summer after the endemic phase.

Convenience stores, which lead alcohol trends, are especially accelerating efforts to introduce unique products targeting their main customer base of people in their 20s and 30s.

Strategies range from differentiating taste and quality using previously unused ingredients to offering products that stimulate consumers' auditory senses.

Additionally, collaborations with famous OTT companies showcase a variety of creative ideas that capture consumers' attention.

According to industry sources on the 29th, Bohae Brewery and GS25 launched Korea’s first RTD (Ready To Drink) plum-based “Maesil Highball Sun (純)” in May.

Maesil Highball Sun was born from the combination of Scotland whiskey, the homeland of whiskey, and Bohae Brewery’s expertise in producing plum liquor for 41 years since 1982. The product name is derived from Bohae Brewery’s traditional aged plum liquor brand “Maechwisun.”

The Scottish whiskey used in Maesil Highball “Sun (純)” is made using traditional methods involving good water, high-quality malt, and peat during drying, allowing consumers to enjoy a deep taste and distinctive aroma.

Unlike other RTD canned highballs on the market that add only aroma with oak chips or use only distilled spirits, this product uses real whiskey and has an alcohol content of 6%.

It also contains plum extract made with Bohae’s technology, which has been producing plum liquor for over 40 years and created the steady-selling Maechwisun, providing a deeper taste and aroma.

While Bohae Brewery is the first to introduce “Maesil Highball” in Korea, plum liquor is already popular in Japan as “umeshu whisky.”

The combination of whiskey’s smokiness and plum’s refreshing flavor makes it highly popular.

Consumers who tried Maesil Highball “Sun” praised it for offering a high-quality highball with real whiskey at a price cheaper than typical bars.

They also noted that the balanced sweetness and refreshing taste pair well with various dishes such as salads, meats, and seafood.

As the domestic whiskey and highball market grows, RTD canned highballs continue to be launched mainly in convenience stores, and with an unprecedented heatwave forecasted, the highball craze is expected to continue for some time.

GS25, which has built a lineup of 17 RTD highball varieties, saw its sales increase by 272.6% last month compared to February.

Convenience store CU introduced the “Sudden Attack Pung Cream Ale” in a limited quantity of 150,000 cans.

This product’s can lid opens completely, and when shaken moderately up and down before opening, it makes a “pung” sound, earning it the nickname “grenade beer.”

The sound reaches about 90 to 100 decibels (dB), similar to birthday fireworks, emphasizing an auditory fun element.

The front and back packaging are designed like a grenade, and it is a collaboration with Nexon Games’ shooting game “Sudden Attack,” popular among people in their 20s and 30s.

Sudden Attack Pung Cream Ale uses special malt to blend the beer’s unique taste, hop aroma, and carbonation, with an alcohol content of 4.7%.

A beer collaboration with OTT market leader Netflix has also been released.

GS25 began exclusive sales of “Netflix Jeju Lager.”

This product is an original lager beer that highlights the rich flavor of high-quality German barley malt and the refreshing characteristics of lager, with an alcohol content of 4.5%.

The product design features a black background with Netflix’s iconic red logo and the word “Chill.”

Using a playback bar image indicating streaming, it also conveys a cooling sensation, capturing the enjoyable time of watching content with beer.

GS25 will also release snacks such as popcorn and mixed nuts alongside Netflix Jeju Lager.

Additionally, Emart24 joined the unique alcoholic beverage competition by newly launching “Chill Highball” Lemon and Grapefruit flavors.

“Chill Highball Lemon” offers a clean aftertaste with a blend of refreshing lemon scent and deep oak aroma.

“Chill Highball Grapefruit” harmonizes grapefruit aroma with whiskey scent, featuring a bittersweet taste unique to grapefruit along with sweetness.

Both products have an alcohol content of 7%.

An industry insider said, “As people in their 20s and 30s emerge as the core consumers of alcoholic beverages, it has become an era where fresh ideas are more important than ever. Since the types of alcohol enjoyed are diverse, including beer, whiskey, highball, and traditional liquors, competition in the industry to provide new experiences and enjoyment is expected to intensify.”

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