Bujokhan Nyeosukdul (부족한녀석들, roughly meaning Lazy People in Korean) (CEO Hwang Ji-hye) announced its participation in the 6th Korea International Beer Expo (KIBEX 2024), which will be held at COEX in Seoul from April 11th (Thursday) to 13th (Saturday).
Bujokhan Nyeosukdul is a brewery startup specializing in alcohol-free beverages that leverage differentiated brewing technology to preserve beer's flavor. Since launching the non-alcoholic brand 'Afreeday' in 2021, it has been recognized for its taste and quality by winning awards at various domestic and international beer competitions. It won the Grand Prize in the Non-Alcoholic Beer category at the Korea Liquor Awards for two consecutive years (2022-2023) and was selected as 'Best of 2023' in the same category.
At the international beer competition KIBA 2023 (Korea International Beer Awards 2023), it swept the gold medal (Afreeday Pale Ale) and silver medal (Afreeday Stout) in the non-alcoholic beer category. It demonstrated its strength by winning gold and bronze medals at the 'Asia Beer Championship 2023' held in Singapore last October.
Bujokhan Nyeosukdul will introduce three types of Afreeday non-alcoholic beverages at this exhibition. Afreeday is praised for using only natural ingredients to achieve the taste of premium craft beer while significantly reducing calories compared to regular beer. The company also emphasizes that the presence of yeast maintains the beer's fresh taste.
The flagship product is the 'Afreeday Pale Ale,' which features a refreshing tropical fruit aroma and citrus flavor characteristic of American-style pale ale. With only 65 kcal (355 ml), which is one-third of the calories of regular beer, it can be enjoyed without the burden of calories. Additionally, the 'Afreeday Stout' is recommended for consumers who prefer the flavor of coffee and chocolate, with a distinctively dark brown color in the style of Irish stout. The 'Afreeday Belgian Wheat' is praised as a taste that can satisfy consumers who prefer Belgian-style wheat beer like Hoegaarden without the burden of alcohol.
Bujokhan Nyeosukdul has been selected as a promising company by the Agricultural Technology Practicalization Foundation and the Daejeon Creative Economy Innovation Center - Mackis Company's nurturing social venture. It is actively distributing products produced at its HACCP-certified factory online and offline. Beyond this, their goal is first to enter the large non-alcoholic beer markets in the United States and Northern Europe. These markets have a variety of categories of non-alcoholic beverages, ranging from low-cost to premium, and among them, there is a significant demand for premium products.
It also plans to import competitive products by establishing cooperative relationships with local companies while expanding overseas and distributing products.
Bujokhan Nyeosukdul stated, "We plan to launch non-alcoholic beers and various alcohol-free beverages. Among them, we are developing the first non-alcoholic highball that retains the unique flavor of highballs. We also plan to collaborate extensively with coffee and functional food development companies to introduce various products. Through this, we aim to leap from a non-alcoholic beer specialty company to a next-generation alcohol-free beverage specialist."
KIBEX 2024 is a comprehensive event covering this year's beer trends and the brewing industry. This exhibition, which provides a crossroads of industry trends and global networking opportunities, offers a valuable platform for stakeholders in the beverage industry. Taking place simultaneously, DRINK SEOUL provides a convenient option to explore various beverage industries, including premium traditional liquors, wines, distilled spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages, all in one place. KIBA (Korea International Beer Award) and KIBCON (Korea International Beer Conference) will also be held during the exhibition. Additionally, side events such as new product showcases, wine & traditional liquor seminars, and 1:1 business matching programs are arranged.