[Report] "Popularizing Oat Drinks"... Visiting Maeil Dairy's 'Amazing Oat Cafe'

'Amazing Oat Cafe' Opens in Seongsu-dong... Operating Until November 6
Eco-Friendly Pop-Up Store Built with Natural Interiors Like Rice Straw
Showcasing Various Vegan Food and Drinks to Promote Oats and Amazing Oat

Exterior view of 'Amazing Oat Cafe' opening in Seongsu-dong, Seoul

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] "How much oat, which is known to be good for health, have you tried? We decided to operate a pop-up store to fully immerse consumers in the taste and atmosphere of oats."

Maeil Dairies will open the doors of the ‘Amazing Oat Cafe,’ a pop-up store for ‘Amazing Oat,’ in Seongsu-dong, Seoul on the 8th. Amazing Oat is a plant-based beverage brand launched by Maeil Dairies last August. It features Finnish oats ground three times using a millstone method to minimize nutrient loss, allowing for a smooth consumption experience. So far, the brand offers a total of three product lines: ‘Unsweet,’ ‘Original,’ and ‘Barista.’

When visiting the Amazing Oat Cafe on the 6th, the space clearly reflected the sustainable values pursued by Amazing Oat. Upon entering the store, an oat field literally unfolds. Finnish oats were brought in with stalks intact to create a large photo zone with an oat field concept, making it impossible to pass by without noticing. In addition to the entrance, natural materials such as oats, rice straw, and wood were used throughout the store, and the comfortable color tones of ivory and beige throughout the space harmonized well with the healthy plant-based beverage products.

Photo zone set up at the entrance of 'Amazing Oat Cafe'

Besides the oat field, the store strongly conveyed an eco-friendly pop-up store image by recycling discarded wood pallets from Seongsu-dong into chairs and tables. The store operates without disposable containers and uses only recyclable paper packaging, straws, and eco-bags. None of the goods sold contain plastic. Oats are also known as an environmentally friendly grain because they require relatively less water and land during cultivation. Maeil Dairies plans to develop Amazing Oat as a brand that benefits everyone and cares for the environment, inspired by these aspects.

Once you step inside, you can find various menus using Amazing Oat. From beverages like oat lattes to desserts such as cakes, crumbles, and cookies, all menus are vegan and do not use any animal-based ingredients. Seong Eun-joo, head of Maeil Dairies’ Plant-Based Business Division, said, "Oats contain no lactose, so they preserve the bitter taste of coffee," adding, "Not many people have tried oat lattes, but compared to lattes made with regular milk, they can experience a different kind of satisfaction."

On the second floor of the store, vegan cooking classes are held by reservation. Except for Mondays, which are closed days, the cooking classes are conducted daily with recipes developed by six vegan recipe specialist chefs from Comme Crise, Foodte, Aisa, Iroun Bakery, Modori, and Bangje. Participants can make and taste various dishes such as lasagna, cakes, yokan, and scones. The classes last 1 hour and 30 minutes, and the participation fee ranges from 60,000 to 130,000 KRW depending on the program.

Maeil Dairies plans to focus on promoting oats and Amazing Oat by showcasing various vegan food and beverages at this pop-up store. Head Seong emphasized, "Many consumers have not yet experienced oats or confuse oats with barley," adding, "Since the plant-based beverage market is steadily growing worldwide, we will use this pop-up store to raise awareness of oats and lead the market." Currently, the domestic plant-based beverage market is worth about 800 billion KRW, and the industry expects it to grow to around 1 trillion KRW by 2025. Among this, soy milk accounts for 700 billion KRW, and almond milk accounts for 100 billion KRW in the domestic plant-based beverage market.