Photo courtesy of M’s Beverage
Consumption of Japanese products, which had contracted amid the “No Japan” boycott movement, is showing signs of recovery. Japanese brands across food, beverages, fashion and other sectors are expanding sales as they target the Korean market with their quality and brand competitiveness.
According to industry sources on the 26th, Japanese premium beers are showing clear growth in both dining and retail channels. On-trade channel draft beer sales for Sapporo and Yebisu from January to May this year rose 27% and 32%, respectively, from a year earlier, according to M’s Beverage, the domestic distributor for both brands. Sapporo Beer Stand, which opened in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, in July last year, recorded about 47,000 cumulative visitors over one year and draft beer sales of about 96,000 glasses. This means each visitor enjoyed an average of about two glasses of draft beer.
At convenience store GS25, Japanese beer sales in the first half of this year rose 31% from a year earlier. The top-selling products included many Japanese draft beer can products such as Asahi draft beer cans and Sapporo draft beer cans. “As the number of travelers to Japan increases, consumption of experiencing the local flavors back home continues, and demand for Japanese beer is steadily growing,” a GS25 official said.
In the fashion market, Japanese brands continue their offensive. Sales of about 20 Japanese fashion brands including “Maison Mihara Yasuhiro” and “Kamiya,” stocked at Handsome’s select shop “Mue,” rose more than 50% from January to May this year compared with the same period a year earlier. In particular, 60% of customers buying these brands are in their 20s and 30s, with younger consumers leading Japanese fashion consumption.
Japanese fashion company Tokyo Base opened the first Korean store of its brand “United Tokyo” in Apgujeong, Seoul, earlier this month. United Tokyo is a brand that highlights its material competitiveness based on Japanese production and minimalist design. Tokyo Base established a Korean corporation last year and has been expanding its Korean business in earnest since opening the select shop “Studious” in Apgujeong in March of the same year. The industry views the move as reflecting the recent growing demand for Japanese fashion in Korea.
“Captain Sunshine,” a Japanese designer brand run by Samsung C&T’s fashion division, has recorded cumulative sales of 120% of its target through last month since opening its first Korean store at Shinsegae Department Store’s Gangnam branch in October last year. Buoyed by the positive results, the company is also reviewing opening additional standalone stores in the second half.
“Japanese fashion brands that highlight excellent materials and high completeness are being chosen by domestic consumers in that their value stands out even more the longer they are worn,” an industry official said.
The first Korean store of “United Tokyo,” which opened in Apgujeong, Seoul on the 3rd of this month. Captured from United Tokyo Instagram
Japanese fashion company Tokyo Base opened the first Korean store of its brand “United Tokyo” in Apgujeong, Seoul, earlier this month. United Tokyo is a brand that highlights its material competitiveness based on Japanese production and minimalist design. Tokyo Base established a Korean corporation last year and has been expanding its Korean business in earnest since opening the select shop “Studious” in Apgujeong in March of the same year. The industry views the move as reflecting the recent growing demand for Japanese fashion in Korea.
“Captain Sunshine,” a Japanese designer brand run by Samsung C&T’s fashion division, has recorded cumulative sales of 120% of its target through last month since opening its first Korean store at Shinsegae Department Store’s Gangnam branch in October last year. Buoyed by the positive results, the company is also reviewing opening additional standalone stores in the second half.
“Japanese fashion brands that highlight excellent materials and high completeness are being chosen by domestic consumers in that their value stands out even more the longer they are worn,” an industry official said.