On the 16th local time, Hall 7 at Messe Düsseldorf in Germany, where ProWein, the world's largest alcohol exhibition, was held. About 20 reporters gathered in front of the Jinmak Soju booth. It was because of a tour program led by German spirits expert Jürgen Deibel. Among dozens of brands participating in the spirits pavilion, he selected only 20 to introduce, and chose Korea's Jinmak Soju as one of them.
Deibel referred to his visit last year to Maenggae Village in Andong, where Jinmak Soju is produced, and said it was impressive that such a product came from such a special environment that you have to ride a tractor to get in. He emphasized that beyond taste, locality and brand storytelling add to a drink's value.
◇ Exhibition floor reorganized around spirits
In general, spirits refers to high-proof liquor made by distilling fermented alcohol to concentrate it. Whisky, gin and vodka are typical examples. At this ProWein, this spirits area was expanded and operated as a separate section called ProSpirits. Its status has risen to the point that two of the seven halls in total were allocated as spirits-only pavilions.
What is interesting is that the current "no- and low-alcohol (No & Low)" trend running through the alcohol market intersects with this high-proof section. Frank Frank Schneider, head of ProWein, said, "The most important flow connecting wine and spirits recently is the no- and low-alcohol market," and noted, "The spirits industry is far ahead of wine in this field." It shows that spirits, which traditionally meant high-proof liquor, has recently broadened in concept with a focus on flavor and base roles.
Amid this trend, Korean premium distillate brands such as Jinmak Soju, Danong Bio and Baekgyeong Distillery also set up booths on the exhibition floor. On the surface, the low- and no-alcohol trend and high-proof traditional liquor seem to move in opposite directions. But this trend is creating new opportunities for Korea's premium high-proof brands.
The reason the no-alcohol trend is spreading is because consumer perceptions have changed. People are not drinking to get drunk, and even if they have one drink, they increasingly choose beverages in which the flavor of the raw ingredients is alive and that have a story. In the context of this "value consumption," Korean distillates with clear origin characteristics and craftsmanship have begun to meet global premium demand.
◇ Soju's "name recognition" done… now proving competitiveness
The shared goal of the Korean companies participating in this fair was clear. It is to lift soju out of its existing low-price image into the "premium spirits" category. In fact, the products they showcased were evaluated as having alcohol strength (40–50% or higher) and complex aromas comparable to Western whiskies, gins and vodkas.
Product strength is already being proven in the market. Park Seong-ho, a director at Jinmak Soju, told ChosunBiz that the brand entered The Whisky Exchange, a liquor-focused retail channel in London, this month. The Whisky Exchange is a premium liquor shop founded in 1999 in London. It is known for selecting and selling rare and high-quality whiskies and spirits. The entry alone carries significant symbolism as recognition of quality in the global market.
Its differentiated production methods also caught the eye of overseas buyers. Baekgyeong Distillery realized complex flavors using a traditional nuruk fermentation method with rice and mung beans. Director Jeong Seung-an of Baekgyeong Distillery said, "Unlike Japanese sake, which is made with a single-yeast focus, diverse microbial communities formed in natural fermentation create flavor," and added, "Buyers who visited our booth were intrigued by how fruit notes come from rice. Some products in particular drew interest because they do not contain gluten."
Although this was Danong Bio's first overseas fair, it drew attention because it had already won awards in Belgium and the United Kingdom. Jang Yoon-jeong, Head of Team for product at Danong Bio, said, "European buyers, who have a high level of understanding of white spirits, showed even greater interest in 'Gamuchi,' a distilled soju, than in the whisky we made, which surprised us."
Real Tongsang, a soju OEM and ODM company, also set up a booth at ProWein. It has exported Korean alcohol to 24 countries around the world. CEO Kang Hyeon-cheon of Real Tongsang said, "For now, diluted soju like 'Hanjan' accounts for a much larger share of sales, but the premium distillate 'Damso' is also steadily growing."
An industry official said, "Overseas, people generally think Korean soju is only diluted soju in green bottles," and added, "If we were previously in the phase of making the name soju known, we are now moving into the phase of explaining what kind of soju it is. Interest in Korean alcohol is expanding into premium spirits with diverse styles and stories."