"Come to Jeju and Have Some Tangerine Juice"... Coffee Industry Strengthens Specialty Beverages [Trend Recipe]

[Financial News] Cafes, which have traditionally served as urban resting places, are attracting tourists by competing to showcase region-specific stores and beverages. On social media, unique drinks that are a must-try when visiting a specific region are gaining immense popularity among the younger generation. This is an industry strategy aimed at enabling customers to fully experience the local cafes and beverages as a tourism product through specialty menus.
According to the coffee industry on the 12th, major coffee shops have recently been actively introducing region-specific menus to diversify customer experiences.
Starbucks Coffee Korea Co., Ltd. is selling 'Jeju Hassaku Orange Frozen Fizzio' and 'Jeju Forest Cold Brew,' which utilize the Jeju tangerine variety 'Hassaku,' as well as the specialty food 'Dolboro Mascarpone Bread,' at 'Starbucks The Jeju Songdang Park R Branch,' the largest Reserve-exclusive store in the country. In particular, 'Jeju Tangerine Blended' captures the sweet and sour taste of Hallabong and the freshness of Jeju, gaining explosive popularity among the younger generation, especially on social media, to the point where people say, "You have to go to Jeju Province just to drink this beverage."
Thanks to this popularity, Starbucks Coffee Korea Co., Ltd. expanded sales of the menu item to the Seoul area during the summer season. Furthermore, the beverage has gained word-of-mouth popularity among foreign tourists from countries such as China and Japan, and an official explained that it is not uncommon to see tourists posting videos of themselves holding the drink on short-form platforms like TikTok.
At Starbucks Coffee Korea Co., Ltd.'s 'Grand Chosun Jeju' store, located on a hotel rooftop, the company introduced 'Starbucks Lager' beer for the first time in the Jeju Province region, in line with the 'mixology' trend of mixing alcohol with various beverages. In addition, it offers a diverse cocktail menu, including 'Pink Grapefruit Rum Tonic,' 'Passion Tea Cosmopolitan,' and 'Purple Mango Dragon Fruit Pina Colada,' allowing customers to enjoy unique alcoholic beverages along with Jeju's panoramic views.
"We are introducing specialty menus that reflect local specialties and natural scenery so that Starbucks stores can become independent travel destinations in themselves," a Starbucks Coffee Korea Co., Ltd. official stated. "We plan to continue releasing specialty menus that can provide customers with special experiences."
Meanwhile, Paul Bassett, operated by @freshmaeil, has opened the 'Gochang Seonunsa Branch' in Gochang County, Jeonbuk, showcasing unique menus made with local specialties to tourists. Representative menu items feature traditional Korean health-boosting ingredients, such as red bean porridge and pumpkin porridge cooked fresh in-store, as well as ade made with Gochang Korean black raspberry, ssanghwacha, and pumpkin sikhye. Visitors can enjoy a sense of relaxation while admiring the magnificent scenery of Seonunsan from the spacious terrace.



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