"Retro Craft Beer Part 3" CU Launches 'Baekyang BYC Bien Lager'

'Baekyang BYC Bien Lager' (Photo by CU).

Gompyo Wheat Beer, Malpyo Dark Beer Followed by Third Product
BYC Symbol Baekyang Collaboration Beer Project
Features Red Pumpkin Color, Nutty Taste, Soft and Rich Foam
Craft Beer Sales Jump 4.8 Times...'Differentiated Craft Beer' Popularity Expected to Continue

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] CU is launching its third retro craft beer amid the popularity of unique craft beers.

On the 15th, CU announced that it will exclusively release the craft beer 'Baekyang BYC Viennala Lager (500ml)' on the 17th in collaboration with innerwear specialist BYC and OB Beer. The price is 2,500 won.

BYC, with a 75-year tradition, has used Baekyang, symbolizing BYC's pure white underwear, as its emblem for about 30 years since its founding in 1957. After the company name changed to BYC in 1985, the appearance of the Baekyang symbol became rare, but with the retro trend starting around 2015, Baekyang reappeared prominently on BYC shopping bags, increasing recognition especially among the MZ generation.

Baekyang BYC Viennala Lager was launched after months of research by craft beer experts including Brewmaster Yoon Jeong-hoon, a member of OB Beer's craft beer collaboration brand 'Korea Brewers Collective.' Brewmaster Yoon is the only authority in Korea serving as an international beer competition judge.

This product features a red pumpkin color and sweet, nutty flavor. CU explained that the soft and rich foam of the Viennala Lager, reminiscent of Vienna coffee, inspired the collaboration by evoking the soft wool of BYC's Baekyang symbol sheep.

The product packaging uses the Baekyang company name and symbol from the 1980s in the original fonts and images. The retro feel is enhanced with BYC's brand colors of white and red. The back of the can briefly describes the product history of Baekyang BYC Viennala Lager.

Last year, CU opened the golden age of convenience store craft beer by hitting big with Gompyo Wheat Beer, created in collaboration with SevenBrew and Daehan Flour Mills. According to CU, since the launch of Gompyo Wheat Beer in June last year, CU's craft beer sales jumped 4.8 times compared to the same period the previous year (May). Gompyo Wheat Beer, the first craft beer produced under contract by a large manufacturer, set a record by becoming the top-selling beer just two days after expanding its supply, surpassing steady sellers from major manufacturers. This is the first time in over 30 years of convenience store history that a small brewery's product has topped the beer category over large manufacturers' products.

With the success of Gompyo Wheat Beer in both sales and popularity, not only manufacturers but also retailers such as marts have been actively launching unique products from domestic breweries. As a result, the domestic craft beer market size last year (118 billion won) grew 2.7 times compared to three years ago in 2017 (43.3 billion won).

BGF Retail Beverage Food Team MD Lee Seung-taek said, "Baekyang BYC Viennala Lager is a craft beer with a different flavor and personality from Gompyo Wheat Beer and Malpyo Dark Beer, which will cool down this summer heat." He added, "CU will continue to introduce differentiated craft beers with unique tastes and concepts to customers and actively support the market entry of excellent domestic breweries."