SEOUL, Jan. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s appetite for coffee is proving increasingly costly. The country’s coffee import bill jumped sharply last year, surpassing 2 trillion won for the first time, as global bean prices climbed to record levels amid climate-related supply disruptions, government data showed Sunday. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s imports of coffee beans jumped sharply from a year earlier in 2024, with imports this year widely expected to reach an all-time high, customs data showed Thursday. Imports of coffee beans, including both raw and roasted products, came to US$1.24 billion last year, up 13 percent from $1.1 billion the previous year, [...]
SEOUL, March 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Zara, the Spanish fashion giant, is set to open its first Zacaffe location in South Korea this May, launching inside the brand’s newly renovated flagship store in Myeong-dong, Seoul. The move reflects a growing trend among global fashion brands incorporating cafés into their retail spaces, offering customers a more [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – In South Korea’s fiercely competitive coffee market, where a “coffee war” is in full swing, Coffee Bean leads major franchises with the highest prices, charging 5,000 won for an Americano. For context, the true price ceiling in South Korea’s coffee scene belongs to Bacha Coffee’s Cheongdam flagship store, recently opened [...]
GANGNEUNG, Oct. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – With the 16th Gangneung Coffee Festival once again drawing large crowds, experts are recommending quarterly festivals and competitions to reinforce Gangneung’s image as a year-round coffee destination. According to a recent report on “Revitalization Strategies for Gangneung’s Coffee Industry” submitted to the Gangneung City Council by professor Kim Ho-seok’s team [...]
SEOUL, Jul. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – Intelligentsia Coffee, a Chicago-based specialty coffee company, said Thursday it has opened its second global outlet in Seoul to meet a rapidly growing local appetite for specialty coffee experiences. The U.S. coffee chain opened its first global outlet near Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul in February. The second store is [...]
SEOUL, May 2 (Korea Bizwire) – For those sensitive to caffeine or seeking to enjoy coffee without its stimulant effects, Starbucks in South Korea offers a decaffeinated option – one out of every 11 Americanos sold is now a decaf version. Starbucks announced on May 1 that the cumulative sales of decaffeinated coffee in South Korea [...]
SEOUL, Apr. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — Hollys, the coffee business unit of South Korea’s KG Group, said Tuesday it will open its first overseas outlet in Japan next month as part of its expansion strategy. Hollys has set up a business entity in the neighboring country to open the outlet at the Marui Department Store [...]
BUSAN, Apr. 5 (Korea Bizwire) – The city of Busan will become the epicenter of the coffee world next month as it hosts the “World of Coffee & World Barista Championship,” an international event showcasing coffee products and pitting national barista champions against one another. From May 1 to 4, the Bexco Exhibition Center will welcome [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — Canadian coffee brand Tim Hortons said Tuesday it will open 150 outlets in South Korea within five years as it plans to open its first store in southern Seoul on Thursday. Tim Hortons has decided to enter the Korean market, which has a vibrant coffee market where coffee consumptions [...]