Japanese Beers Outpace Imports in South Korea, Sapporo Pop-Up Bar Leads the Charge

Despite a nationwide downturn in beer imports, Japanese brews are doubling their market share in South Korea. Fueled by the success of initiatives like the Sapporo Premium Beer First Bar, a thriving pop-up store in Seoul's Hongdae district, Japanese beers are demonstrating robust growth against the odds, putting pressure on Chinese and Dutch competitors.

According to the Korea Customs Service, total beer imports in South Korea declined by 12.5 percent last year, reaching 254 billion won (US$193 million). However, imports of Japanese beer more than doubled during the same period, totaling around 18.8 billion won. From January to May of this year, imports of Japanese beer already achieved 80 percent of last year's level, reaching 14.8 billion won.

Leading brewery Asahi has been expanding its supply chain and introduced the limited-quantity Asahi Superdry Draft Beer Can in May, known for its fully opening top. Because of its enormous appeal, the new product will begin to compete with draft and bottled beer in the entertainment industry in July.

Due to a widespread boycott of Japanese goods and services as a result of a trade dispute, Japanese beer fell to third position in terms of market share in 2019. Up until 2018, Japanese beer had previously been the most valuable import.

Chinese beer brands are feeling the pressure due to the success of Japanese beer. As a result, they are exploring alternative strategies to stay competitive. For example, Tsingtao Beer, a prominent Chinese brand, has been actively engaging in marketing activities to enhance consumer involvement.

Likewise, Heineken, a Dutch brewer, is focusing on creating experiential opportunities for consumers. Just last month, they collaborated with coworking space FastFive and a university to host an exciting Heineken 0.0 sampling event.

Compared to the previous year, Korea imported approximately 43.6 billion won worth of Dutch beer, experiencing a decline of around 13 billion won.

Meanwhile, Stone Brewing Company in Escondido is preparing to launch the inaugural batch of locally-brewed Sapporo beer, as ABC 10News' media partner KPBS reported. In an intriguing move, the Japanese beer giant acquired Stone Brewing in the summer of 2022 to utilize Stone's cutting-edge breweries in the United States. Following months of meticulous testing and refining, Stone Brewing proudly announces that they have mastered the recipe to perfection.

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