① Korean Pear Juice Made by Australian
ANZ
Korean pear juice is popular among young Australians as a hangover remedy. ‘BAE JUICE,’ sold in Australia, is a product made by young Australians. In 2018, Tim O’Sullivan, who was working as a barista, traveled to Korea following his Korean girlfriend. He fell in love with the pear juice sold in convenience stores at first sight.
After learning that pear juice is also suitable for hangovers, he began researching pear juice by looking up information related to hangover prevention. Upon returning to Australia, he started market research by distributing Korean pear juice to his acquaintances. Most of the responses were positive, and he immediately set out to make pear juice.
After securing a manufacturer in Melbourne, Tim O’Sullivan launched ‘BAE JUICE’ nine months later.
To make this product, he imports Korean pears from Naju in powder form. In March, he signed a supply contract with APC in the Naju region and began developing a new pear beverage for export. After washing the pears in the factory, juice is extracted, sterilized twice, and packed in pouches. He made it into a spout product so that pear juice could be easily consumed.
This is how the first Korean pear juice was launched in Australia. The production process takes place in Korea. It is a healthy beverage containing dietary fiber without any artificial colors or sugars.
O’Sullivan said, “The pear juice I accidentally tasted at a convenience store with my girlfriend led to a business idea. Pear juice is not only excellent for hangovers but also a functional beverage full of healthy ingredients. I also feel rewarded to promote the excellence of Korean pears from Naju in Australia.”
② Popular as a hangover remedy among the Gen Z
Pear juice began to spread quickly through word of mouth on social media. Among young Australians, pear juice started to gain popularity as a hangover remedy and received significant attention. Just 18 months after launching Korean pear juice, it achieved the feat of being stocked in supermarkets nationwide.
Currently, pear juice is sold at Woolworths, a supermarket chain in Australia. Woolworths has over 980 stores nationwide. It is also sold in over 3,000 stores, including Dan Murphy, the largest liquor store, BWS, and is distributed nationwide through Amazon.
Pear juice is sold in 120ml pouches for about 3,300 KRW (about $2.80), and its clean packaging stands out. As soon as pear juice was launched, it was loved by the Australian MZ generation as a hangover remedy. Many people post photos of drinking pear juice on social media such as Instagram and TikTok.
The Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization announced that Korean pears showed the best hangover efficacy compared to Western and Asian nashi pears. It has been found that Korean pears contain ADH and ALDH, critical elements related to alcohol metabolism, which eliminate or inhibit alcohol absorption. They reported that consuming pear juice before drinking can reduce hangovers. In Australia, people usually consume coffee or greasy food for hangovers.
‘BAE JUICE’ recommends drinking it 30 minutes before consuming it to enhance its effectiveness. Thanks to its popularity, the company attracted $500,000 in external investment in 2022. In July, they signed a contract with the U.S. distributor Gold Coast Distributors and started exporting pear juice to New York. Since August, pear juice has been sold in stores in the New York area.
③ Continuous increase in the amount of Korean pears imported
Australia imports Korean pears every year. The import volume, which is about 200 tons, is continuously increasing. In Korea, pears produced in Naju, Sangju, Jinju, and Hadong are exported to Australia. In April 2020, Gyeongnam Jinju City was also approved as an additional exportable area. In 2019, Australia’s pear import increased by $300,000 from $2.54 million in 2018. The most imported Korean fruit in Australia is pear.
Korean pears are sold mainly at Costco in Australia, Korean marts, and local fruit stores. In Australia, Korean pears are recognized as premium fruits. A representative of a distribution company said, “The pear consumption market was formed centered on Korean immigrants in the past, but as the taste and efficacy of pears became known, it became popular as a premium fruit among Asian immigrants.”
Various products utilizing pears have been launched since a few years ago when the hangover relief function of Korean pears was known. As awareness expands, pear imports in Australia are expected to continue to rise.’
By. Han Mia
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