E-Malt.com News article: Japan & South Korea: Japanese beer selling very well in South Korea

Japanese beer has been a hot seller in South Korea, where the popularity of sake has also been growing, thanks to a rise in the number of izakaya pubs, prompting Japanese brewers and liquor companies to boost sales campaigns in the country, The Japan News reported on July, 30.

At Pro Ganjang Gejang, a Seoul restaurant specializing in crabs, Suntory’s high-quality line “The Premium Malt’s” is proving popular. At 9,000 won (about 810 yen), a medium-sized bottle costs twice as much as a large bottle of South Korean beer. Nonetheless, Japanese beer sells very well on hot days, according to the restaurant’s management.

Some South Korean brands, such as “OB” and “Hite,” are said to be closer to what is called “daisan no biru” (third-category beer) in Japan: beerlike alcoholic drinks that are not necessarily made from malt. Under South Korean law, the amount of malt in beer must constitute at least 10 percent of the content, whereas in Japan the amount must be at least two-thirds, or about 67 percent, which may be one reason why many consumers are opting for Japanese brews.

Beer imports in South Korea from January to June this year totaled $39.51 million (about 39 billion yen), up 21 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service. By country, Japan led the imported beer market, with 33.5 percent, followed by the Netherlands and Germany. Though imported beer accounts for only 3 percent to 5 percent of the South Korean market, its share has been increasing as local tastes diversify.

Asahi Breweries Ltd., the leading exporter of beer to South Korea, has been pushing sales of its “Super Dry” line to restaurants and bars in the country. Sapporo Breweries Ltd. has been using Hokkaido’s cold weather and natural splendor as part of its image, while Kirin Brewery Co. started selling its “Ichiban Shibori Furozun”--beer with frozen foam--in South Korea from June and promoting the Japanese way of drinking it.


31 July, 2013