Endeavour Group’s BWS and Dan Murphy stores have doubled the range of Asian beverages following an increase in customer demand, now offering more than 100 drinks to choose from.
Sales data from Endeavour Group showed that Korean drinks were a leading trend, with Soju having enjoyed one of its strongest year-on-year growth performances.
Endeavour Group Asian beverages sourcing manager Samuel Lam said customers were increasingly looking to discover new and interesting drinks to try.
Soju dates back to the 13th century and accounts for 97 per cent of the South Korean liquor market.
“Aussies are enjoying Korean drinks like Soju and Makgeolli, which coincides with the growing interest in Korean food as well as South Korean pop culture.
“It is the variety of flavours that really makes the beverage popular. You can discover everything from blueberry or lychee to Americano,” said Lam.
Makgeolli is one of Korea’s oldest alcoholic drinks, and is a lightly sparkling drink that is made from rice, water and a starter known as nuruk. In Korea, Makgeolli can be ordered on tap in small ceramic bowls.
Japan’s national alcoholic beverages Sake and Shochu are popular in Australia, with sales of Shochu having almost doubled in BWS and Dan Murphy’s in the last twelve months.
“Customers are turning to Shochu because it has a unique flavour and is a spirit that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, it also tends to have a lower ABV (alcohol by volume) and calories compared to other spirits,” said Lam.
Shochu can be made from a range of vegetables and grains, meaning a wide variety of flavours can be explored. For example, Koji, a type of fungus, is used in the fermentation process, giving Shochu a unique umami flavour, often described simply as ‘savoury’.
Sake also remains popular in Australia, among the new sakes available in Endeavour Group stores is Junmai Daiginjo sake - the most premium expression of the drink.
Endeavour Group will add another twelve sakes to its retail stores in July, which will almost double the current range.
