'Kimchi juice' a red-hot seller on Amazon
By Ko Dong-hwan
Gold Mine Natural Food introduced 32-ounce kimchi juice on Amazon. / Courtesy of Amazon
After traditional Korean side dish kimchi achieved a global reputation and spawned a string of byproducts ― like kimchi lasagna and kimchi pasta ― kimchi juice is the latest hot product on e-commerce site Amazon.
American health food maker Gold Mine Natural Food introduced the “organic, fresh, raw” juice and it sold out on June 7. The 32-ounce drink is priced at $17 and described as vegan, gluten free and kosher.
“Plenty of zing and just the right amount of heat!” the website says. “Americans who are not ready to embrace the really hot chili pepper flavor of Korean-style kimchi will be delighted with Gold Mine Organic Kimchi Juice.”
The site says the juice is naturally fermented without the fish sauce, shrimp sauce, sugar and preservatives commonly found in commercial kimchi and loaded with lactobacillus kimchii, a healthy probiotic bacterium that aids digestion.
Customer reviews showed the juice earned 4.2 out of five stars.
Netizens left positive comments, saying it is “addictive,” “a flavor you cannot get enough of” and “the nectar of the gods.”
Some fans said they chose the juice because of its probiotics and enzymes necessary for gut health. Others praised its tangy, homemade taste that is “not too hot, not too sour and not too sharp.”