Since launching in 2019, Korean pear juice brand and hangover drink pioneer, Bae Juice, has sold over 5 million units across Australia, surpassing $10 million in total revenue, and growing 18 per cent year-on-year.
As the company launches its first new formula since starting out, Food & Drink Business catches up with the Bae Juice team to discuss growth in the functional drink market.
We last caught up with Bae Juice almost 2 years ago – what’s been happening since?
A lot! It has remained a lean, founder-led team – with Sumin Do on the ground in Korea overseeing manufacturing, while Liam Gosta and Tim O’Sullivan run the brand, growth, and operations in Australia. Bae Juice is now stocked in over 3500 retailers nationwide, including Woolworths, Dan Murphy’s, and thousands of independents.
Source: Bae Juice
The past 12 months in particular have marked a real turning point for the brand. Bae Juice has grown into one of Australia's most recognised functional beverage brands, sitting in the top 5 beverages in its category across major Australian retailers – rivalling the likes of Remedy and Coconut Water in both velocity and volume.generating over $2.5 million in revenue this financial year – with projections to exceed $3 million by EOFY, thanks largely to the incredible response to our new launch: Bae Juice Energy.
Bae Juice Energy is Australia’s first all-natural caffeinated juice, delivering a smooth, sustained buzz with clean, functional ingredients:
- Korean Pear Juice – Hydrating, antioxidant-rich, and known for its hangover-preventing properties
- Green Tea Extract – A natural caffeine source for long-lasting energy
- Vitamin C – For immune support and steady energy levels
The company has also just secured a national partnership with Royal Foods, one of Australia’s largest independent distributors – a huge milestone that will double its independent retail footprint overnight.
“Off the back of strong recent sales, incredible momentum, and the brand equity we’ve built in the market – it was the natural next step to partner with a national distributor that could take us to the next level,” said Gosta.
“Landing Royal Foods – one of the largest and most respected distributors in Australia – is a massive milestone for us. It unlocks a nationwide rollout across the independent retail sector and gives both our product lines the reach they deserve. We’ve worked hard to build demand, and now we’re ready to meet it.
“We’re proud to have led this category from the start. Being first to market matters – and the momentum we’ve built gives us a huge head start,” he said.
The Bae Juice team are well aware of the three or four new entrants to the hangover recovery drink market that have launched recently – and honestly, they welcome it. It validates the space the company has been building for years. That said, they are confident in their position.
“We’re likely three to four years ahead of the next competitor in both distribution and brand equity. We’ve spent years building a trusted product, strong consumer loyalty, and national retail presence – which is incredibly hard to replicate overnight,” said O’Sullivan.
“As more consumers shift toward lighter, functional beverages, there’s definitely room for growth in the category – but we believe Bae Juice is already a household name in the making. Competitors will come, but we’re already where they’re trying to go.”
How does it feel to be releasing your first new product, and what was the development process like for Bae Juice Energy?
“Launching Bae Juice Energy has been a major milestone – it’s our first step into a broader product range, and we wanted to get it exactly right,” said O’Sullivan.
“We went through months of sampling and testing to perfect the balance – from caffeine levels to ingredient ratios – and the result is a clean, natural energy drink with the perfect buzz. We didn’t want anything too intense – just a smooth lift that works whether it’s 10am or 10pm.”
There were challenges, especially working with manufacturers internationally, but having co-founder Do on the ground in Korea helped the team fast-track development and maintain control over quality.
“Our biggest advantage? We’re still first-to-market in this space – delivering a functional, all-natural energy drink made with real Korean pear juice and green tea extract,” said Gosta.
“The category’s growing, and we’re proud to be leading it. This product is a first of its kind in Australia – and a sign of where we’re heading next.”
Is the same facility being used to manufacture Bae Juice and Energy? Were there any changes that needed to be made to account for extra production and storage capacity?
Yes – both Bae Juice and Bae Juice Energy are produced at the same manufacturing facility in Korea. In 2024, the team transitioned to a new partner with five times the production capacity and greater access to advanced product development capabilities. That move was essential to support the scale required for their second product launch.
“We knew we needed to scale up without compromising quality,” said O’Sullivan.
“This new facility gave us the capacity to grow and the flexibility to innovate and having co-founder Sumin based in Korea has been a huge asset. She works directly with our manufacturing partners, managing quality control and fast-tracking product development.”
“Sumin’s presence on the ground has been critical,” said Gosta. “She’s built deep relationships with our suppliers, which gives us agility most startups don’t have when scaling.”
The Bae Juice Energy packaging is really unique for the energy drink market. What drove that decision and how do you think it will perform compared to a bottle or can?
“We’ve built strong brand equity around our pouch – it’s functional, eye-catching, and now synonymous with Bae,” said Gosta.
The team is also incredibly happy with the serving size and shape. It sits somewhere between a gel shot and a full-size energy drink – light enough to carry, but satisfying enough to give you a proper boost without the bloated, sugary aftermath.
“From day one, we wanted the packaging to feel instantly recognisable – something that clearly said, ‘this is a Bae Juice product’, even if it served a different purpose,” said O’Sullivan.
“The signature pouch format gave us that continuity while standing out dramatically in the energy category. It contrasts our original product just enough to stand on its own, but still complements the range visually and functionally.
“The pouch not only reinforces brand identity – it also taps into what modern consumers want: portability, control, and a better-for-you feel.”
