In September, Jinro released Aqua Blue, positioned as a premium grade in its Seoksu mineral water line. The new products come during a time when mineral water sales are booming in Korea as the sale of bottled tea drinks slip.
Aqua Blue is made from desalinated deep sea mineral water extracted from 1,032 meters below the surface or Kangwon Province’s Yang Yang Bay. The water boasts 50 varieties of minerals found in deep sea water, and a pH level of 7.3-8, which is claimed to add in it being easily absorbed into the body. The blue gradation on the bottle is designed to represent the ocean getting darker at lower deepths.

This new premium line comes at a time when mineral water is booming in Korea. Bottled tea drinks, which peaked in 2004 during a wellness trend, with some hit products enjoying 40% sales growth per year, have stalled, and this market is predicted to begin shrinking by 10% per year.

Meanwhile, the mineral water market has skyrocketed from 3.5 billion won ($2.5 million) in 2006, to a projected 4.5 billion won ($3.2 million) in 2008. Many of the popular brands such as Blue Marine, Momejouenmul, and Ulleung Minewater are, like Aqua Blue, produced from desalinated deep sea water. Blue Marine, a premium water line by Lotte Chilsung, is enjoying sales success despite a price of 1,400 won($1) per .5 liter bottle, about 40% more than the market average. Ulleung Minewater sells for 2,000 won for a smaller, 330 milliliter bottle, which was recently redesigned to give it a more premium look.

The move from bottle tea to mineral water might be linked to a recent consumer backlash against genetically modified ingredients, which appear in some tea drinks. Mijin An

beverages, packaging, premiumization, south korea