South Korea: Non-alcoholic beer market growing at blistering pace since outbreak of Covid

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, South Korea�s non-alcoholic beer market has been growing at a blistering pace thanks to an increase in the number of health-conscious consumers and the growth of the drinking-at-home culture, the Korea BizWire reported on January 18.

Hite Jinro Co., the country�s second-largest beverage company, had been selling between 6 and 7 million cans of its non-alcoholic beer �Hite Zero 0.00� since it was released in 2012.

Annual sales, however, surpassed the 10 million can mark in 2020 and more than doubled last year.

The size of the nation�s non-alcoholic beer market stood at about 20 billion won (US$16.8 million), equivalent to less than 1 percent of the size of the nation�s overall beer market.

Nonetheless, non-alcoholic beer has a strong growth rate.

Sales of non-alcoholic beer at major convenience store chains such as GS25, CU and 7-Eleven grew by 814 percent, 460 percent and 501 percent, respectively, last year compared to a year before.

According to the Korea Customs Service, the nation�s imports of non-alcoholic beers amounted to US$7.58 million last year, a more than twofold increase from $2.93 million a year ago and a more than fivefold jump compared to the 2019 figure.

Industry experts said that the primary factor behind the expansion of the non-alcoholic beer market is the growing health-conscious trend.

In addition, non-alcoholic beer is also popular among dieters looking for beer alternatives and weak drinkers placed in a situation where they need to drink.