Premium Highball Developed by GS25
Selected by Chef An Sungjae
Features Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand
Official Model and Food Pairing Content to Be Released
GS25, the convenience store operated by GS Retail, announced on July 14 that it will launch the 'Sauvignon Lemon Blanc Highball' (500ml), selected by Chef An Sungjae, on July 17.
The Sauvignon Lemon Blanc Highball is a premium highball containing Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, a region renowned for its world-class wines. No additional distilled spirits are mixed in, preserving the unique flavor of the wine, and the addition of fresh lemon creates a refreshing and clean taste.
GS25 explained that, as demand for highballs at convenience stores has been rising rapidly, the company asked Chef An Sungjae to evaluate the taste of differentiated premium highball products. Among the various highballs under development, the Sauvignon Lemon Blanc Highball received the highest evaluation from Chef An.
Following GS25's proposal, Chef An will serve as the official model for this product. Going forward, GS25 plans to release content such as Chef An's tasting review videos and food pairing recommendations through its official Instagram account and YouTube channel 'Irieoneora.'
Highballs continue to enjoy great popularity and steady growth. In the first half of this year, GS25's highball sales increased by 81% compared to the same period last year. The sales composition within the alcoholic beverages category has also changed significantly. In the first half of last year, the sales proportions of highballs, wine, and whiskey were 26.0%, 29.9%, and 44.1%, respectively. However, in the first half of this year, highballs accounted for 40.0%, wine for 25.9%, and whiskey for 34.1%, with the proportion of highballs increasing by 14.0 percentage points to become the highest among the three categories.
Yoon Jiho, MD of the Alcoholic Beverage Team at GS Retail, stated, "As the mixology alcoholic beverage market, including highballs and sours, is growing rapidly, we plan to continue discovering differentiated alcoholic beverage products tailored to customer demand," adding, "We will expand the range of choices from light, easy-to-enjoy drinks to more sophisticated premium products."
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