GS Retail Wine25Plus Sees 250% Surge in Sake and Baijiu Sales in First Half of Year

Sales Share by Type Surpasses Double Digits for the First Time
Demand Expands from Middle-aged Consumers to Those in Their 20s and 30s

GS Retail announced on July 22 that sales of sake and baijiu on its alcoholic beverage smart order platform, Wine25Plus, surged by 250.1% (approximately 3.5 times) in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.

A model is posing with products such as sake and baijiu at GS25. Provided by GS Retail

In terms of sales share by type, sake and baijiu accounted for 15% of the total, surpassing the double-digit mark for the first time. For sake, the number of available products has expanded to about 500, ranging from premium brands such as Dassai, to character-themed sake like Bonobono Junmai, and seasonal limited editions such as Rokkakusen Sukiano Watermelon Sake. In particular, the growing popularity of gift sets that include both a sake bottle and sake cups has pushed the sales share of mid- to high-priced sake in the 30,000 to 100,000 won range to over 68%. For baijiu, products with lower alcohol content that can be enjoyed more smoothly, such as Cheonji Ram, Yangha Daegok, and Saryeo, are gaining popularity.

GS Retail analyzed that sake and baijiu are no longer perceived as alcoholic beverages consumed only by enthusiasts or middle-aged and older consumers, but that demand has expanded to a broader and more mainstream age range. In fact, the consumer base for sake and baijiu, which had previously been concentrated among those in their 40s and older, expanded to those in their 20s and 30s in the first half of this year, with this group accounting for about 35% of total sales.

Wine25Plus plans to launch seasonal sake, Kinmen Kaoliang, and bamboo leaf green liquor in the second half of this year. Junyoung Jeon, Wine25Plus MD (merchandiser) at GS Retail, said, "Driven by the home drinking trend and demand for overseas travel, new types of alcoholic beverages such as sake and baijiu are establishing themselves as the next generation of popular drinks in Korea, following wine and whisky," adding, "As the No. 1 smart order platform for alcoholic beverages in the industry, Wine25Plus will continue to lead in offering a diverse selection and enhancing customer satisfaction."

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