The low-alcohol beverage trend is an irresistible big trend.
Rodolphe Lameyse, head of Vinexposium, said in an interview with ChosunBiz on the 29th in Hong Kong, held to mark Vinexpo Asia, that the low-alcohol beverage trend is an inevitable change of the times. Low-alcohol drinks generally refer to beverages with an alcohol content below 20 percent, but with nonalcoholic drinks emerging recently, the trend is moving toward even lower alcohol levels.
Lameyse said, An ultimate change is taking place among younger generations, adding, This reflects health-conscious generations choosing alcohol and exercising restraint in their consumption, and the concept of alcohol's role for conversation and bonding is also changing. He went on, The low-alcohol market is one of the few areas where growth opportunities are emerging, and it is likely to become essential going forward.
Low-alcohol drinks first appeared at Vinexposium, which aims to be the largest wine-centered drinks expo, in 2023. And at the 2026 Vinexpo Asia in Hong Kong this year, low-alcohol drinks confidently took up a section.
On the 26th, the opening day of Vinexpo Asia, the busiest spot in the Japan pavilion, where Japanese alcohol companies were gathered, was not a major corporation but Yamada Brewery. It is a family-owned brewery with more than 150 years of brewing history, based in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and cannot be considered a large-scale alcohol company. Even so, various importers were interested because of a new product called "FoxFiz."
FoxFiz is a low-carbonation sake that preserves the original aroma and taste of premium junmai sake. While conventional sparkling drinks are strongly sweet, FoxFiz focused on delivering a clean feel by adding only carbonation to sake.
A Yamada Brewery official said, It made its debut at the Americas food and beverage expo in Miami last year, and the response was good then, so we brought it to this expo as well, adding, The expo has only just begun, but buyers visiting from South Africa and Europe took our business cards.
◇ Korean companies front low-alcohol drinks such as Hitejinro
Korean alcohol companies also focused on showcasing low-alcohol drinks. Bohae Brewery put makgeolli "Soonhee" front and center. Soonhee makgeolli is a low-alcohol product at 5 percent alcohol. Although it is makgeolli, it focused on delivering a mild and clean taste rather than a thick mouthfeel. Bohae Bokbunja was also presented. They mixed carbonated water with bokbunja for tastings, and passing buyers, after trying it, gathered in small groups.
A notable change was that the way bokbunja wine is explained is completely different from the past. In the past, descriptions emphasized it as a "miracle tonic for rejuvenation" or a "toasting drink that appears at major global events," but now the focus is on how to make it tasty according to preference and on "boksa" (short for a drink mixing bokbunja wine and soda), which younger generations enjoy.
Yang Hee-uk, a team manager at Bohae International branch, said, Buyers were also very interested in how to drink bokbunja wine, and to spread the word we even prepared a mix tower for the expo, adding, In meeting several buyers this time, many said they became aware of bokbunja wine through Korean influencers. Bokbunja wine gained word-of-mouth among the BTS fandom after it appeared when a broadcaster aired a BTS-only variety show in 2020. More recently, it drew attention when mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang paired freshwater eel with bokbunja wine.
Hitejinro, a leading Korean alcohol maker, also showcased fruit soju (liqueur) at around 12–13 percent and fruit seltzers at around 2.5 percent. The focus at Vinexpo Asia was on fruit soju such as Grapefruit Isul, Green Grape Isul, and Plum Isul. At the Hitejinro booth, there were not only buyers but also alcohol companies proposing collaborations.
A Hitejinro official said, For now we are operating at full production capacity, so it is difficult to accept original equipment manufacturing (OEM) proposals, but we are pleased to see both interest and awareness of fruit soju increasing. According to the Korea Customs Service, last year's fruit soju exports totaled $100.42 million, up 4.3 percent from the previous year. This is the first time fruit soju exports have surpassed the $100 million mark.
Lotte Chilsung also focused on introducing low-alcohol drinks such as the fruit-carbonated brand "Soonhari Jin." According to Lotte Chilsung, cumulative sales of Soonhari Jin surpassed 82 million cans in five years since its launch. A Lotte Chilsung official said, Sales in the first half of this year are expected to surpass last year's annual sales.
Lameyse said, This was the first year showing that Korean alcohol can play a role in the global spirits market, adding, However, for soju, Korea's core spirit, to quickly gain a foothold, it needs to be consumed in a style different from traditional Korean consumption, such as being used in cocktails, and the trend is moving in a positive direction.