Whiskey store in E-Mart Seongsu branch (Image provided by E-Mart)
SEOUL, Nov. 19 (Korea Bizwire) –Whiskey sales at major retailers have outpaced those of imported beer, largely due to the rising popularity of the customizable highball trend. Conversely, imported beer, once a competitive force against local products, appears to have ceded ground to whiskey, particularly following the ascent of wine.
E-mart reported on Sunday that whiskey constituted 13 percent of its total liquor sales between January and October this year, narrowly surpassing the share held by imported beer (12.9 percent).
Notably, whiskey’s proportion of E-Mart’s overall alcohol sales stood at a mere 4.5 percent in 2019, representing less than one-fifth of imported beer’s share at 20.8 percent. However, whiskey has since made substantial inroads into the market, escalating to 13 percent this year.
In contrast, sales of imported beer have seen a decline, with this year’s market share halving compared to 2019 figures.
Whiskey’s ranking in overall alcoholic beverage sales has climbed from sixth place in 2019 to fourth this year, trailing only domestic beer, soju, and red wine. Conversely, imported beer, which held the second spot in 2019, has experienced a consistent decline, now settling in fifth place.
A shopper selects whiskey at a hypermarket in Seoul, South Korea, as sales of whiskey at hypermarkets have surpassed imported beer. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
This shift is evident in Korea Customs Service trade statistics, where whiskey imports surpassed those of imported beer ($260 million) last year. This year’s imports have also exceeded beer ($180 million) at $220 million thus far.
E-Mart attributes the robust whiskey sales to the growing trend of at-home drinking and the popularity of highballs. The surge in whiskey consumption is particularly pronounced among the younger demographic, with 40 percent of E-Mart’s whiskey sales last year originating from customers aged 30 and below.
Sales of carbonated mixers have seen a parallel rise, as consumers enjoy whiskey in highballs with sparkling water. While soda mixers comprised only 2.2 percent of total soda sales in 2019, they have surged to 8.8 percent this year.
Formerly considered niche products, soda mixes have evolved into the second-largest sales category after cola and cider, witnessing a remarkable sales increase of 61.7 percent last year and an additional 53.8 percent this year.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
