From Wine to Kkonyaek... CU Launches Alcohol Reservation Service

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] CU will launch the liquor reservation purchase service ‘CU Wine Shop’ on the 5th, allowing customers to order desired products directly at stores.

This service is provided through CU’s membership app Pocket CU, where customers can pre-order desired products via the app and pick them up at CU on the specified date. This month, the service is available at about 500 stores in Seoul.

Products reserved before 9 a.m. can be picked up at the store from 6 p.m. on the same day, and a notification message containing delivery information will be sent to the customer’s mobile phone. Customers visit the store, present the notification message or app reservation details, and pay for the product.

At CU Wine Shop, customers can find about 20 products imported from world-renowned wineries in Chile, Italy, France, and more.

All these products are exclusive to the online CU Wine Shop and are not available at CU stores. They have been carefully selected by an MD with a sommelier certification after direct tasting. Prices range from around 10,000 KRW to 120,000 KRW.

CU Wine Shop provides detailed tasting notes explaining basic information such as vintage and alcohol content, as well as acidity, body, and aroma for each product. Additionally, about 10 types of premium hard liquors such as vodka, gin, tequila, and cognac, which have been difficult to find at convenience stores, are also sold.

To commemorate the launch of the liquor reservation purchase service, CU is holding a special discount event until the end of this month, offering five popular wines including Lerocai, Glorioso Rioja Crianza, and Ch?teau La France del Homme M?doc at up to 51% off.

Meanwhile, CU’s analysis of liquor sales shows that this year’s wine and whiskey sales increased by 45.8% and 32.9%, respectively, compared to the same period last year (January to May), setting a record high growth rate.

During the same period, beer and soju sales increased by 6.9% and 14.2%, respectively, and makgeolli sales rose by 17.1%. Compared to the average growth rate of 10.2% in the liquor category, these increases represent a growth rate about three to four times higher.

Generally, wine and whiskey sales peak in winter (November to January) due to year-end and New Year’s parties and a preference for high-proof liquor in colder temperatures. However, this year, sales have grown unusually even after March due to an increase in home drinking caused by COVID-19 and disaster relief funds.

Seo Hyewon, MD of the Beverage Food Team at BGF Retail, said, “Wine and whiskey, which had a high entry barrier due to their high prices and difficult technical terms, have recently attracted more customer interest as they became available at reasonable prices in marts and convenience stores. We will continue to expand the product lineup and service areas of CU Wine Shop so that customers can easily and conveniently access a variety of products.”