South Korea: Imported beer keeps enjoying high demand

Sales of imported beer rose 25.8 percent in the first quarter this year compared to the same period last year, big supermarket chain E-Mart said on April, 18, while domestic beer sales grew only 1.4 percent.

At another South Korean retailers Homeplus and Lotte Mart, sales of imported beer rose 11 percent and 24.5 percent, respectively, during the same period, while those for domestic beer brands fell 8 to 10 percent.

The popularity of imported beer brands keeps rising, showing fast growth for the last couple of years.

"Domestic beers accounted for about 80 percent of total beer sales last year, but the figure dropped to 70 percent this year," E-Mart said.

Japan's Asahi and Kirin, Germany's Original Weizen, the U.S.' Miller and the Netherlands' Heineken are all popular choices in South Korea.

19 April, 2013