Dongsuh Foods’ Kanu coffee sales to exceed $71 mil. this year

Kanu Barista's coffee machines / Courtesy of Dongsuh Foods

Just two years after its launch, Dongsuh Foods’ coffee capsule brand Kanu Barista is on track to exceed 100 billion won ($71.77 million) in sales this year.

Now valued at 400 billion won, the coffee capsule market in Korea is booming as more consumers seek convenient and cost-effective ways to enjoy coffee at home.

Reflecting this trend, Dongsuh Food launched Kanu Barista in February 2023, drawing on 50 years of coffee manufacturing expertise. The brand is hoping to provide extra quality and quantity, with each capsule containing 9.5 grams of coffee — 1.7 times more than that of typical coffee capsules.

"Premium coffee capsule Kanu Barista incorporates Dongsuh Foods’ long-standing coffee manufacturing expertise, allowing local consumers to enjoy the rich, cafe-quality taste of their favorite drink, the Americano," a company official said.

"We will continue to introduce various types of coffee, allowing consumers to choose and enjoy coffee based on their individual preferences."

Kanu Barista offers 13 different types of coffee, ranging from light and medium roast to dark roast, as well as decaffeinated and single-origin options.

Single-origin options include beans from regions like Ethiopia’s Yirgacheffe, Colombia’s Tolima and Indonesia’s Sumatra.

Last October, the brand introduced a dark roast coffee, Eternal Mountain, and decaffeinated product, Serenity Moon Decaffeinated, which uses a blend of Ethiopian and Colombian beans for refreshing yet smooth acidity.

Kanu’s coffee machine features its patented triangle tamping technology to extract the coffee, ensuring consistent flavor and quality. It also maintains an optimal water-to-coffee ratio of 18 to 22 percent for espresso, delivering the perfect taste.

Consumers can also choose the amount of water and the type of coffee beans with a single touch, as well as an iced option.

The coffee machine comes in three designs, tailored to complement consumers’ interior design, whether luxurious, simple or minimalistic.

One of its designs, Kanu Barista Urban, won the top prize in the coffee machine category at last year's prestigious Red Dot Design Awards, recognized for its design excellence and user-friendly features.

Dongsuh Foods has been holding pop-up events to expand Kanu Barista’s consumer base.

The brand partnered with Seoul Metro, the operator of subway lines 1 to 8, to open pop-up stores at Jayang Station on Line 7 for a month in May 2024. The pop-up store offered a space for commuters to take a break from their busy life with various programs, including Kanu coffee tastings, a photo zone and personal therapy sessions.

From July to August last year, the coffee brand opened pop-up stores at Starfield Goyang and Hanam for one month each, under the theme “Staycation at a High-End Hotel.” Named Grand Kanu Hotel, the pop-up attracted visitors with its diverse spaces, including a poolside bar, concierge service and a game zone.