Registered the largest domestic and foreign buyers in history…The beer industry is in full swing

Held 'Design & Packaging Forum' the key to pioneering the beer retail market

The KOREA INTERNATIONAL BEER EXPO(KIBEX) 2021, the only beer industry exhibition in Korea, was held on May 17 at COEX Hall C(photo), Samseong-dong, Seoul for three days.

KIBEX, which celebrated its 3rd this year, is the only beer industry exhibition where you can see everything in the beer industry value chain from beer ingredients to brewing facilities, distribution, education and services in one place. It is co-hosted by Beer Post, a beer content company and Global Mice Expert Group(GMEG) an exhibition and convention company, and sponsored by Ministry of Trade, industry and Energy, Korea Craft Brewers Association and Korea Influencer Economy Industry Association. In addition, Fermentis, a global beer ingredient company, participated as the main sponsor following last year, and White Labs as a sub-sponsor.

A total of 130 companies from six countries, including Korea, the United States, Spain, China, Germany and France, participated in the exhibition. Overseas exhibitors include The U.S. The Agricultural Trade Office and the Brewers Association(BA) set up a US national pavilion for the third consecutive year, promoting more than 30 brands, including eight unimported breweries. Spain's Trade & Investment Government Agency and the Spanish Beer Association introduce their own beers currently introducing in Korea.

In addition, Krones from Germany, a global leader in beverage manufacturing and packaging, exhibits beer production and packaging machinery, and China's Tiantai, one of the most used brewery facilities brands in Korea, has also set up booths. Despite the Covid-19 impact, foreign participants actively participated in the event through each country's embassies, domestic subsidiaries and partners.

In Korea, LG Electronics will display its beer maker HomeBrew and Shinhan Industrial, the only Keg producer in Korea, will display its special products. In addition, local governments such as Daegu Metropolitan City, Gunsan City, and Pyeongchang County formed a special pavilion with local companies.

Buyers are paying attention to this KIBEX 2021 to find opportunities in the rapidly changing beer market. The number of pre-registered buyers is more than twice that of last year, the largest number in history, while the beer industry is tumultuous due to the blast of craft beer at convenience stores, IPO of Jeju beer, and the entry of craft beer original equipment manufacturing(OEM) by major beer companies.

KIBEX 2021 was held simultaneously at the Hotel Show, an exhibition specializing in the lodging and restaurant industries, paving the way for participants to meet more diverse buyers. In fact, Lotte Department Store, CJ Foodville, E-Land Retail, Hanwha Hotel & Resort, E-Mart, Hite Jinro, OB Beer, The Born Korea, Our Home and E-Mart Everyday were listed as buyers at the event.

Registration of overseas buyers has also increased significantly. KIBEX attracted foreign buyers from Europe and China through a global network established through cooperation with BrauBeviale in Germany, the world's largest beer and beverage exhibition. Organizers will use VIVRA, an online exhibition platform, to arrange 1:1 customized online meeting between exhibition participating companies and overseas buyers.

Consumers who have been unable to access newly released beer due to Covid-19 are also paying attention to KIBEX. At KIBEX 2021, 350 kinds of beer from 70 domestic and foreign brands will be displayed in one place. Pre-ticket sales for general visitors also nearly doubled compared to the previous year.

KIBEX 2021 deals in-depth with label design of beer and packaging technology such as cans and bottles. This is because as retail sales such as convenience stores have emerged as the mainstream of beer distribution, design and packaging have emerged as major factors that will determine the success or failure of beer companies.

The related events consist largely of 'Design & Packaging Forum' and 'Beer Design Awards'. The Design & Packaging Forum will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on May 18, the second day of the event. As for packaging, Kim Jae hyun, director of Wild Goose Korea, will provide clues to solve concerns about the distribution of beer in the post-Covid-19 era under the theme of 'What packaging system is suitable for small-scale breweries'. In addition, Kim Chun soo, CEO of Krones Korea, will give a lecture on the factors necessary for beer to be delivered to consumers in the best condition in the 'Importance of Oxygen Management in Beer Packaging' session. In terms of design, Kabrew's director Na Young soo and Winbeer's CEO Seok Jin young will be speakers to tell stories under the themes of 'Brand Identity Design and Storytelling' and 'World's Most Famous Elephant Story'.

In addition, at the Beer Design Awards, pre-online voting for beer designs submitted by breweries or importers and KIBEX 2021 on-site visitor voting results, plus the evaluation results of design experts, will be awarded in local beer and international beer divisions.

Lee Inki, CEO of Beer Post, who co-hosts KIBEX 2021, said, "It will be a time to think about and find answers about packaging technology that can safely contain and distribute beer and a unique design that can move the hearts of consumers". He emphasized that if Korean beer is made and packaged with solid technology, it can be an opportunity to leap into the beloved K-Beer by exporting Korean craft beer to the world.

At the event, seven domestic breweries will unveil beer using malt processed with barley grown in Gunsan. In this regard, Gunsan City, which operates the Gunsan Agricultural Technology Center equipped with a commercial malt production facility for the first time in Korea, and the Korea Craft Brewers Association signed a memorandum of understanding(MOU) for 'Commercialization and Joint Marketing of Gunsan Malt' at the site on the 17th.

Meanwhile, the organizer of KIBEX 2021 appoints an on-site quarantine manager, and is making every effort to comply with quarantine rules such as disinfection, ventilation, hand sanitizer, distribution of plastic gloves, and restrictions on the number of people admitted daily and hourly.