A customer takes a can of Gompyo Wheat Beer from a refrigerator at a CU convenience store. Courtesy of BGF Retail
Gompyo Wheat Beer helped make craft beer mainstream at Korean convenience stores. Six years later, the beer that symbolized the category’s breakout success is being discontinued.
Daehan Flour Mills, the flour maker that owns the Gompyo trademark, is leaving the beer business. The move aims to resolve a three-year dispute with former partner Sevenbrau over alleged technology leaks.
Industry officials say the decline reflects a broader market downturn. Craft beer grew rapidly through novelty branding and convenience store distribution, but lost momentum as consumer tastes shifted.
The viral wheat beer, a nationwide hit that sold 60 million cans over three years, will disappear once existing inventory runs out. While Daehan Flour Mills cites the Sevenbrau dispute as the official reason, industry insiders point to a more complex reality. Craft beer sales have weakened, and the Gompyo brand has lost its former strength.
The trademark holder had little incentive to maintain the business amid an ongoing legal battle. The retreat, however, is not limited to a single brand.
Craft beers that dominated convenience store shelves a few years ago are rapidly disappearing. The trend leaves one of Korea’s most dynamic consumer markets wondering where the momentum went.
Short golden age gives way to bankruptcy pressure
In the 2010s, craft beer in Korea was considered a premium market for enthusiasts. Gompyo Wheat Beer’s launch in 2020 changed that, making craft beer easily accessible at convenience stores.
Brewers rushed out collaboration beers with non-beverage brands, including shoe polish and toothpaste makers. Cans with unusual designs spread on social media, turning novelty into a major sales tool.
Source: Korea Times News
