Golden Blue, First Korean Whiskey to Enter the US Market

Starting February, Targeting California and Nevada States

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] Golden Blue is making a full-scale entry into the United States, the world's largest liquor market, as the first Korean local whiskey.

Golden Blue announced on the 25th, "Sapirus, produced on December 30 last year, was shipped for the first time on the 23rd," adding, "It will be sold in the U.S. starting next month." 'Golden Blue Sapirus' is the first Korean local whiskey exported to the U.S. and also the first batch Golden Blue is exporting overseas as it celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Since its renewal in 2017, this product has been the best-selling whiskey in South Korea for four consecutive years.

Golden Blue will initially supply the first export batch to eight states, focusing on California and Nevada, as well as Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Hawaii. Afterwards, it plans to expand its sales network across the entire U.S. California is home to Los Angeles, where more than 20% of Korean Americans reside, and Nevada hosts Las Vegas, the world's largest tourist city with an active Korean community, making these regions optimal for targeting the approximately 2.5 million Koreans living in the U.S.

Golden Blue has been preparing for its U.S. entry for a long time. Based on three years of market research for a successful foothold in the U.S. market, Golden Blue adopted a strategy to increase whiskey volume while lowering alcohol content. The ‘Golden Blue Sapirus’ sold in the U.S. for the first time is offered in a 750ml bottle, the most familiar size to Americans, rather than the 450ml size sold domestically. In line with the trend of ‘mild alcohol’ spreading among the millennial generation in the U.S. liquor market, it targets Americans with a somewhat unfamiliar but low alcohol content of 36.5 degrees.

Kim Dong-wook, CEO of Golden Blue, said, "Entering the U.S. market is a significant step toward the grand mission of globalizing K-liquor," adding, "The successful export cases and experiences in Asia, along with three years of thorough research and investigation of the U.S. market, will surely lead to the successful establishment of Korean local whiskey and enhance the status of Korean liquors."