BUSAN — A Busan startup that has built its competitiveness in South Korea's non-alcoholic wine market with proprietary technology has won recognition for product quality in the United States after earlier awards in Europe. With its record at overseas competitions as a foundation, the company is also moving into the Japanese market, drawing attention to whether it can expand sales channels for non-alcoholic wine, until now centered on the domestic market, into global markets.
Food-tech startup Laurentchoo Company won awards for two products at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, the Busan Center for Creative Economy and Innovation said on the 19th. Bubbly Peach Sangria from its non-alcoholic wine brand Chooper took the silver medal, while Shine Rose took the bronze.
The awards follow a gold medal for Bubbly Peach Sangria at this year's Monde Selection. The company earlier won World's Best, the top prize in the No & Low category at the 2024 World Drinks Awards, and has accumulated awards at international wine and spirits competitions. Winning recognition from different evaluating bodies is significant in that it broadens the external assessment base the company can use to demonstrate its product competitiveness.
Laurentchoo Company has been invited to four food and restaurant industry exhibitions and business events in Japan in November as it moves to tap the local market. It plans to expand business-to-business contacts with importers, distributors and restaurant operators, targeting a Japanese dining industry that places weight on pairing food with beverages.
Support from the Busan center's startup development programs has also underpinned the company's growth. Laurentchoo Company is a tenant of B.Cube, operated by the center. It has strengthened its research and development and business competitiveness after being selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' Didimdol early-stage startup support program and TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startup) and the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund's Little Penguin program.
"What matters is the process of consistently earning good evaluations across multiple countries and judging platforms," Laurentchoo Company CEO Choo Se-eun said. "We will turn the competitiveness confirmed at international competitions into real business opportunities in overseas markets, including Japan."