The era of 100 billion craft beer…’Qualqq’ in 19 years

Home liquor trend and individual liquor preference

Last year’s market size exceeded 118 billion

154 companies with liquor licenses’largest’

Chicken industry and large liquor company collaboration love call

Likely to continue the steep growth this year

It is analyzed that the market for craft beer last year exceeded 100 billion won, solidifying growth momentum. It has been 19 years since the small beer license system was introduced in 2002 that the handmade beer market pie has exceeded 100 billion won. Last year, the trend of’home liquor’ drinking alcohol at home was strengthened as a result of social distancing, and the increasing number of consumers trying various alcoholic beverages naturally increases the demand for craft beer with strong personality. This year, as the chicken industry and large liquor industry line up to collaborate with the ransom craft beer industry, the craft beer market is expected to grow more explosively.

According to the craft beer industry on the 7th, the size of the craft beer market is expected to surpass at least 118 billion won last year. Until 2019, the craft beer market remained at 80 billion won. An official of the Craft Beer Association explained, “The market size conservatively predicted in the first half of last year is 118 billion won.” The exact market size last year will be announced in March this year. At the same time, an official of the Craft Beer Association predicted that, for the first time last year, the proportion of craft beer to the total beer market size will exceed 3%.

The number of companies that received craft beer licenses also recorded the highest last year. After the first license was issued in 2002, 112 companies obtained their licenses until 2005, but since then, the number of companies closed due to management difficulties, and in 2014, the number decreased to 54. Since then, it has gradually increased to 106 in 2018 and 154 in 2020. An official from the craft beer industry said, “After Seven Bros’ Kangseo beer rose to dinner at the Hope Meeting held in the Blue House in the first year of the Moon Jae-in administration in 2017, the craft beer market began to ignite again. With Corona 19 last year, the craft beer industry has gained a growth engine again.”

Jeju Beer was the most prominent among the craft beer industry. Jeju Beer’s sales last year amounted to about 32 billion won, more than doubled compared to 2019. An official from Jeju Beer emphasized that “home channel sales increased by about three times, and entertainment channel sales increased by about 1.3 times despite the aftermath of Corona 19, leading to increased sales in all channels.” Jeju Beer is expected to complete the expansion of the Jeju brewery within the first quarter of this year, driving growth last year. The product lineup, which currently has only three, has also decided to diversify its products into 10 types. In addition, Jeju Beer decided to expand the OEM B2B business, such as the launch of a handmade beer in collaboration with’BBQ-Jeju Beer’ in partnership with Genesis BBQ, a chicken industry leader.

Seven Bro, the originator of craft beer, also announced a resurgence through the hit product’Gompyo Beer’ last year. Gompyo Beer is a beer that Seven Bros and Daehan Mill collaborated with. Gompyo Beer sold out 100,000 units in initial volume within 3 days of its launch, and became popular by surpassing 300,000 units in cumulative sales in a week. As the share price of Seven Bros rises again with Gompyo beer, it is known that sales of existing craft beers such as Seven Bros’ Gangseo and Hangang have also increased. The craft beer collaboration relay, which started with Gompyo beer, leads to the Malpyo beer of the Malpyo industry, a synonym for bitumen, and has become a trend in the beer industry last year.

The blast of craft beer continues in convenience stores as well. According to 7-Eleven, sales of craft beer last year increased more than five times compared to the same period last year. The proportion of homemade beer among 7-Eleven domestic beer was only 2.5% in 2018, but surpassed 7.5% in 2019 and 10.9% last year, and this year (January 1-18) rose 11.2%. The type of product has also more than doubled from 5 in 2019 to 11 now. Along with the popularity of craft beer, the release of unique beers collaborated with brands by each company continued. In November of last year, 7-Eleven launched a premium craft beer’Yudong Golbaengi Beer 500ml’, which was collaborated with Yudong Golbaengi, the No. 1 brand of processed Golbaengi in Korea. Showed off. Yudonggolbangi Beer is gaining high popularity among young people through word of mouth such as social network service (SNS) and community, and currently ranks first in the 7-Eleven Craft Beer category. A 7-Eleven official said, “After the change of the liquor tax law, the price competitiveness of craft beer will increase, and as craft beers with unique collaborations by each company appear, the craft beer market at convenience stores is expected to grow further in the future.

/ Reporter Hyung-yoon Park [email protected], Reporter Boris Kim [email protected]

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