An event will be held to open the door for a new leap forward in the beer industry, which has been struggling with the pandemic that has lasted for more than two years.

The 4th KOREA INTERNATIONAL BEER EXPO((KIBEX) 2022) will be held at COEX C Hall in Samseong-dong, Seoul, for three days from March 31 to April 2. KIBEX is the only beer industry specialized trade show in Korea where you can meet all businesses in the industrial value chains, from beer ingredients and brewing equipment companies to breweries, importers/wholesalers, franchises, and service/education/media companies in one place. It is co-hosted by Beer Post, a beer content company, and GMEG, an exhibition and convention company specializing in beer and spirits industry, and is supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Craft Brewers Association.

◆Rush to participate finding marketing and business opportunities...Exhibition scale increases more than twice

KIBEX 2021, held in May 2021, was evaluated to have solidified its position as an industrial exhibition that actually contributes to the beer business. A total of 9,638 participants, an increase of more than 30% compared to the previous year, visited the exhibition hall while 130 companies from 6 countries set up 160 exhibition booths and displayed a variety of exhibitions. In particular, the proportion of buyers among the total number of visitors increased from 41% in 2019 to 60% in 2021, and buyers' interest was at an all-time high, with more than twice as many buyers registering in advance compared to the previous year.

Recently, the craft beer industry is experiencing extreme polarization. Some breweries that can afford to supply canned beer to convenience stores have grown two to three times a year, but about 150 other breweries have their sales channels blocked and opportunities to directly contact consumers are limited.

KIBEX 2022, which is held under such circumstances, is expected to play a role as the only window for the beer industry to meet directly with consumers and business officials to promote and find ways to cooperate with new partners. The size of the booth is expected to more than double compared to the last event as companies thirsty for publicity and business opportunities have decided to participate one after another.

As business meeting schedules between domestic breweries and more than 30 overseas companies including US, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand have been confirmed, it is expected to be of great help in pioneering global markets for the beer industry.

◆Expanded the exhibition range from premium traditional liquor and natural wines to retail tech

At KIBEX 2022, not only beer but also other alcoholic beverages and beverage companies such as premium traditional liquor, natural wines, craft spirits and beverages will participate in the exhibition. It is a field where the liquor and beverage industry can create synergies as they seek cooperation with other fields across borders.

Keywords such as premium, health, and craft have been emphasized in the liquor and beverage markets recently, KIBEX organizers said. "We plan to continue to expand its range by reflecting this trend." He added, "The expansion of the exhibition field will provide visitors and participating companies with extensive experience and cooperation opportunities, while also exploring the possibility of expanding the beer expo."

Retail tech companies that can be adopted by major participating companies and buyers to improve productivity and efficiency are also located in the exhibition hall. Retail tech is a retail business-related technology combined with information and communication technology (ICT). Currently, the most popular technologies such as unmanned store systems, customer behavior analysis systems, and robot serving technologies will be showcased at KIBEX 2022.

◆The keynote speech by the head of the Brewers Association(BA)

In particular, at this year's event, Bob Pease, chairman of the Brewers Association of the U.S., the world's largest craft beer market, will deliver a keynote speech at the conference. The small-scale beer market in the U.S. was born in the late 1970s and has achieved great success as an industry to the point that it is now called the “craft beer revolution.” As of 2021, there are more than 8,800 craft breweries operating across the U.S., accounting for about 24% of the total beer market(by sales). The craft beer industry's contribution to the U.S. economy amounts to $62.1 billion a year, which is estimated to have created more than 400,000 jobs.

In the U.S., BA is the largest craft beer-related organization with more than 50,000 members including breweries, wholesalers and retailers, and home brewers, and is engaged in industry support projects, public relations campaigns, market data analysis, education, and government activities. Chairman Bob Peace, who has been in the BA since 1993, has been leading the market by strengthening the network of the craft beer industry and leading government activities for industry development since he took the position of head of the association in 2014. As he is visiting Korea for the first time this time, he is expected to introduce the history of the American craft beer industry and deliver insight into industrial development know-how.

This exhibition is expanding its influence as a global event, with Fermentis, a global yeast company, as the sponsor of the exhibition following last year, and a large number of unimported breweries from the U.S., Canada, and Spain will also participate.

Various events are also held, such as the revival of the Korea International Beer Conference(KIBCON), which was not held last year. The organizer said, "KIBEX 2022 will be an opportunity to get answers about what the beer industry should prepare and promote now that COVID-19 has become a daily life."
KIBEX 2022 booth participation application can be made through the website(www.beerexpo.kr) or the secretariat(02-565-0501).