Unique Smooth Foam Strength Using Nitrogen Gas
Excellent 'Food Pairing' Beer Harmonizing with Various Foods
Portable Nitrogen Amplifier 'NitroSurge' Scheduled for Release Next Year
"Korea seems to have developed a culture of pairing beer with various foods. Guinness also has a long history of food pairing, and I think the smooth and creamy Guinness is a beer that pairs well with Korea's spicy dishes."
Amid a slump in the imported beer market recently, Diageo Korea's Irish stout beer ‘Guinness’ is leveraging its unique smooth foam created using nitrogen gas as a distinctive strength to solidify its own territory and focus on acquiring new consumers.
Padraig Fox, Guinness Global Ambassador, emphasized at a media event held on the 7th at ‘Diageo The-Bar by Airdrop’ in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, that Guinness can be an excellent choice for Koreans who enjoy pairing beer with various foods. Ambassador Fox said, “Since 1837, Guinness has been experimenting with pairing with various cuisines worldwide, and it goes well not only with seafood and meat but also with desserts due to its sweetness. Especially, the nitrogen content gives it a smooth and creamy unique texture and flavor, which is excellent for neutralizing the heat in the mouth caused by spicy food.”
Guinness, which started in Dublin, Ireland in 1759, is the world's best-selling stout beer (a style of British ale porter with enhanced flavor and alcohol content) exported to over 150 countries worldwide. It boasts a deep and rich barley flavor by using malt roasted at an optimal temperature and double the hops, and it is characterized by thick and fine foam created using nitrogen gas. Guinness canned beer contains a nitrogen-charged pellet called a ‘widget,’ which releases one billion nitrogen bubbles the moment the can is opened, creating its distinctive creamy texture.
Diageo Korea plans to brand Guinness as a ‘food pairing beer’ that goes well with various foods through its so-called ‘Occasion Expansion’ strategy. As demand for beer and highball overlaps recently and highball is encroaching on the beer market, the strategy is to create various new occasions where beer can be enjoyed, thereby generating new beer demand and establishing a unique territory.
Kim Juhwan, Guinness Brand Manager, said, “Consumers who enjoy the cool and refreshing taste of lager beer are moving to highball, but Guinness, characterized by deep flavor and creamy smoothness, is relatively less affected due to its solid loyal consumer base. We plan to create various occasions to enjoy Guinness, such as pairing it with desserts using its unique flavors like coffee and chocolate, to boost demand.”
A representative move to create new demand for Guinness was the launch of ‘Guinness Cold Brew’ in Korea in June, the first in Asia. Guinness Cold Brew is a product that harmonizes roasted coffee aroma with chocolate and caramel scents, featuring Guinness’s characteristic smooth and creamy foam blended with the sweet and slightly bitter coffee aroma, allowing consumers to enjoy a deep and rich flavor. The company expects it to establish itself as a dessert beer that can be enjoyed as a ‘daytime beer’ and more.
Next year, Diageo Korea is determined to capture home drinking demand by launching the ‘Nitro Surge,’ a small nitrogen amplification device, in Korea as the first in Asia following Ireland and the UK. Using ultrasonic technology to create the texture of nitrogen, Nitro Surge allows consumers to enjoy canned beer like draft beer at home. Ambassador Fox said, “Since its launch last year, this device has been so popular that 400,000 units have been sold in Ireland alone, a country with a population of 5 million.” Guinness also plans to introduce the non-alcoholic beer ‘Guinness Zero’ domestically next year, in addition to Nitro Surge.
Furthermore, since last year, Guinness has strengthened its marketing by signing an official partnership contract with the Korea Football Association. Guinness, which has an official partnership contract until May 2025, has been increasing consumer engagement by holding ‘Fan High Five’ events with the national football team this year as well as last year. Additionally, it is growing its presence by operating pop-up stores called ‘Cafe Guinness’ at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul, and Shinsegae Premium Outlet in Paju.
This aggressive marketing stance is expected to continue under the new CEO Conor Neiland, who was appointed in August and is from Ireland. Neiland, who joined Diageo in 2005 and has handled various roles in sales, commercial, and innovation in Ireland and Europe, is highly regarded for his understanding of the Guinness brand as a former Guinness Global Commercial Director. Notably, while working as the Commercial Director of the Guinness Global Brand Team, he directly led major projects and campaigns in Korea, maintaining close cooperation with Korea.
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