Dongsuh's Kanu Barista surges in capsule coffee market, eyes W100b sales
Dongsuh Foods, the dominant player in South Korea's coffee mix market, said Tuesday that its premium capsule coffee brand Kanu Barista is projected to surpass 100 billion won ($71.8 million) in cumulative sales within this year.
Launched in February 2023, Kanu Barista has quickly established itself as a major player in Korea's expanding capsule coffee market, now valued at approximately 400 billion won ($287.5 million). The brand was developed to cater to the increasing number of consumers embracing the 'home cafe' trend, offering cafe-like coffee in a convenient format for both households and offices.
What sets Kanu Barista apart is its use of 9.5 grams of coffee per capsule — about 70 percent more than typical espresso capsules — delivering a richer and more robust Americano experience. The product line includes 13 capsule varieties, ranging from light, medium, and dark roasts to decaffeinated and single-origin options.
Earlier additions to the lineup include single-origin capsules such as Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Colombia Tolima, and Indonesia Sumatra, each featuring distinctive regional beans and premium packaging. In October last year, Kanu Eternal Mountain, a dark roast with rich chocolate notes, and Kanu Serenity Moon Decaf, a blended mix offering a smooth, bright acidity with hints of green apple, were also introduced.
The Kanu Barista machine is equipped with proprietary 'Triangle Tamping' technology to ensure consistent extraction and flavor. Its dual-nozzle system separates espresso and water flows, resulting in a cleaner Americano.
The machine is available in three models designed for various lifestyles: the premium Urban, the minimalist Breeze, and the compact Pebble. The Urban model received the 2024 Red Dot Award for its outstanding design and intuitive user interface.
To strengthen consumer engagement, Dongsuh has launched a series of themed pop-up stores. In May 2024, it collaborated with Seoul Metro to open a 'Rest Station' pop-up at Jayang Station, featuring tastings and interactive installations. In the summer of the same year, the company hosted the 'Grand Kanu Hotel' pop-up at Starfield Goyang and Hanam, with a concierge desk and poolside bar.
'Kanu Barista, our premium capsule coffee made with decades of coffee expertise, allows Korean consumers to experience high-quality Americanos at home,' a company spokesperson said. 'We will continue to introduce a wide variety of capsules to suit diverse consumer preferences.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
20-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Dongsuh's Kanu Barista surges in capsule coffee market, eyes W100b sales
Dongsuh Foods, the dominant player in South Korea's coffee mix market, said Tuesday that its premium capsule coffee brand Kanu Barista is projected to surpass 100 billion won ($71.8 million) in cumulative sales within this year. Launched in February 2023, Kanu Barista has quickly established itself as a major player in Korea's expanding capsule coffee market, now valued at approximately 400 billion won ($287.5 million). The brand was developed to cater to the increasing number of consumers embracing the 'home cafe' trend, offering cafe-like coffee in a convenient format for both households and offices. What sets Kanu Barista apart is its use of 9.5 grams of coffee per capsule — about 70 percent more than typical espresso capsules — delivering a richer and more robust Americano experience. The product line includes 13 capsule varieties, ranging from light, medium, and dark roasts to decaffeinated and single-origin options. Earlier additions to the lineup include single-origin capsules such as Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Colombia Tolima, and Indonesia Sumatra, each featuring distinctive regional beans and premium packaging. In October last year, Kanu Eternal Mountain, a dark roast with rich chocolate notes, and Kanu Serenity Moon Decaf, a blended mix offering a smooth, bright acidity with hints of green apple, were also introduced. The Kanu Barista machine is equipped with proprietary 'Triangle Tamping' technology to ensure consistent extraction and flavor. Its dual-nozzle system separates espresso and water flows, resulting in a cleaner Americano. The machine is available in three models designed for various lifestyles: the premium Urban, the minimalist Breeze, and the compact Pebble. The Urban model received the 2024 Red Dot Award for its outstanding design and intuitive user interface. To strengthen consumer engagement, Dongsuh has launched a series of themed pop-up stores. In May 2024, it collaborated with Seoul Metro to open a 'Rest Station' pop-up at Jayang Station, featuring tastings and interactive installations. In the summer of the same year, the company hosted the 'Grand Kanu Hotel' pop-up at Starfield Goyang and Hanam, with a concierge desk and poolside bar. 'Kanu Barista, our premium capsule coffee made with decades of coffee expertise, allows Korean consumers to experience high-quality Americanos at home,' a company spokesperson said. 'We will continue to introduce a wide variety of capsules to suit diverse consumer preferences.'
Korea Herald
19-05-2025
- Korea Herald
People Power Party attacks Lee Jae-myung on coffee beans comment
The conservative People Power Party intensified its attacks on liberal presidential candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung for a second consecutive day on Monday, accusing him of misrepresenting the struggles of small business owners. The party seized on Lee's recent remarks suggesting that coffee shops are highly profitable due to the low cost of coffee beans, turning coffee into the party's latest political weapon. Rep. Kim Yong-tae, interim chair of the People Power Party, said Monday that Lee's remarks indicating that a cup of coffee retails for up to 10,000 won ($7.20) while the ground coffee used to make a cup of coffee costs 120 won "sounded like (coffee shop owners) were charging 80 times higher than the cost of production" at the party's campaign headquarters meeting on Monday. Also at the same meeting, conservative Rep. Na Kyung-won said Lee's remarks were like "a nail driven in the chest of honest small business owners." The controversy stems from comments Lee made at a campaign rally in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, Friday, where he highlighted his previous experience of clearing out illegally operating businesses from mountain streams when he was governor of Gyeonggi Province, from 2018-2021. Lee recalled offering many such merchants who sold chicken porridge along the streams a more lucrative option in 2019. "You make chicken porridge for an hour while sweating, and you have 30,000 won (per customer) at hand (minus costs), but if you sell a cup of coffee, you can earn between 8,000 won and 10,000 won while the cost of it is 120 won," Lee said, adding he managed to persuade vendors to move out and converted the space into more attractive tourist spots. In South Korea, a small Americano sells for 4,700 won in Starbucks nationwide. The Democratic Party of Korea explained that Lee's remarks were meant to share his experience of ensuring that vendors continue to make a living after their relocation, while achieving his goal of providing tourists with a well-organized space. However, the rival party accused Lee of misrepresenting the way a coffee shop owner makes money. Kim Moon-soo, presidential candidate of the People Power Party, said via Facebook on Sunday that Lee described small business owners as "profiteering with evil motives." Lee, at a televised debate Sunday, explained his claim that 120 won in costs for a cup of coffee only took into account the costs of ground coffee back in 2019, blasting the conservative party for failing to understand the context behind his remarks. Rep. Lee Geon-tae, a lawmaker for the Democratic Party, said Sunday that he was considering legal action against the People Power Party's interim chair Kim for misrepresenting Lee's remarks to imply that coffee shop owners are ripping off customers. Any legal action had not been announced as of press time Monday. The issue of retail prices was one of the decisive factors in the latest general election in April 2024. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol's remarks about a bundle of green onions at a market he visited -- 875 won for 1 kilogram -- sparked voters' anger, because the price he noticed was abnormally lower than the typical price at the time, which then ranged from 3,000 won to 4,000 won. Instead of noticing the abnormality, Yoon pointed out the price was "reasonable." Lee, then the Democratic Party leader, led the party in weaponizing it as an attack line against the conservative faction, which allowed the main opposition party to win big in the general election.
Korea Herald
09-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Huawei: Keeping Cities Moving, Amplifying Urban Rail Intelligence
HONG KONG, May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Huawei Smart Urban Rail Summit, themed "Steaming Ahead with Cloud-Network Convergence and Data & AI Enablement for Smart Urban Rail", was held in Hong Kong, China. Thomas Xu, Vice President of Huawei's Smart Transportation BU and Director of the BU's Partner Development and Sales Department highlighted the importance of identifying the most suitable information, digital, and intelligent technologies for addressing specific service needs. Dr. Tony Lee Kar-yun, Operations and Innovation Director at MTR, believed that the integration of digital resources and innovative AI applications can enhance operational efficiency and passenger experience, and pointed out that this integration will serve as the foundation for more efficient urban transportation and more convenient community life. Mr. Xi Xiaodong, Chief Engineer of Shanghai Rail Transit Maintenance Support Co., Ltd., emphasized the need for metro operators to integrate external resources and enhance internal core capabilities if they are to achieve high-quality development. Nelson Huang, Rail Business Director of Huawei's Smart Transportation BU, stated that Huawei integrates innovative ICTs, such as the cloud, big data, 5G, AI, and IoT based on the digital and intelligent foundation for urban rail. Mr. Xiong Xinbin, Rotating CEO and Senior Vice President of Beijing Railway Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering (BRI) noted that they have deployed Pangu models to empower rail transportation, utilized Ascend and Kunpeng to lay a solid data foundation, and integrated AI to develop a comprehensive intelligent O&M platform. During the follow-up roundtable salon, Mr. Ji Kun, Overseas Rail Solution Director of Huawei's Smart Transportation BU; Datuk Dr. Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman, Chairman of the Malaysian Rail Industry Corporation (MARIC); Chan Hing-keung, Chief of Operations Engineering Service & Innovation at MTR; Mr. Xi Xiaodong, Chief Engineer of Shanghai Metro Maintenance and Support; Mr. Xiong Xinbin, Rotating CEO and Senior Vice President of BRI; and David Xu, Vice President of Huawei's Smart Transportation BU and Director of the BU's Solution Development I&V Dept — delved into technology enablement scenarios, transformation pain points, data value mining, and user experience upgrade. Huawei has served more than 300 urban rail lines in over 70 cities around the world. Moving forward, Huawei will deepen its cooperation with industry partners by consistently adhering to the principle of "openness, cooperation, and shared success". The company is determined to realize convenient travel and smooth logistics, alongside digital and intelligent transportation. Photo - Photo - Photo - Photo - Photo -
