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Young consumers swap sweet sodas and coffee for low-sugar, decaf 'healthy pleasures'

Published: 11 Mar. 2026, 07:00

A visitor looks at teapots and teacups at the 2025 Myung Won World Tea Expo at Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Sept. 11, 2025. [NEWS1]

In Korea, a nation long defined by its love of coffee, a growing number of young consumers are reaching for something different: tea, zero-sugar sodas and protein drinks.

As concerns about caffeine and sugar mount, a trend known as “healthy pleasure” — enjoying food and drink while still prioritizing health — is reshaping the country’s beverage market.

For some, the shift begins with small daily habits. An office worker surnamed Hwang once drank five or six cups of coffee a day but began to question that amount of caffeine.

“When I used to go to cafes, the non-coffee options were usually just green tea or fruit juice,” Hwang said. “Now there are so many kinds of tea, including blended teas made with different tea leaves, so it’s fun to choose.”

Another routine has changed as well. At company dinners, Hwang used to drink sugary soda instead of alcohol. Now the choice is usually zero-sugar carbonated drinks.

“I don’t like alcohol, but I also worry about sugar, so I try to stick to zero or low-sugar drinks to manage my health,” Hwang said.

Such habits reflect a broader shift in Korea’s beverage market, where drinks seen as healthier alternatives are gaining ground on coffee and sugary sodas.

A customer looks at sports drinks stocked at a supermarket in Seoul on April 14, 2025. [NEWS1]

The share of canned coffee in beverage sales at convenience store chain GS25 fell from 23.6 percent in 2023 to 20.6 percent last year, according to its operator GS Retail. Tea’s share increased slightly from 11.9 percent to 12.3 percent, while sports drinks grew from 34.5 percent to 38.8 percent in the same timeframe.

The soda market shows a similar divide. Regular sodas accounted for 16.3 percent of beverage sales at GS25 in 2023 but dropped to 14 percent last year. Over the same period, zero-sugar sodas rose from 13.7 percent to 14.3 percent.

Large retailers report comparable patterns. At Lotte Mart, tea sales in February rose 11 percent from the previous month and health supplement beverages increased 4 percent. Instant coffee sales, by contrast, fell 1 percent for the month.

Even among coffee drinkers, preferences have begun to shift. Decaffeinated options are gaining popularity as consumers seek to cut back on caffeine. Imports of decaffeinated green coffee beans surged from 1,724 tons in 2018 to 10,040 tons last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.

Health concerns increasingly shape those choices. Many consumers now pay closer attention to ingredients like caffeine and sugar, often influenced by online health content and social media.

A resident of Gangseo District in western Seoul named Park Jin-woo said watching health-related videos online led to thinking more carefully about what to drink.

“I saw on YouTube that because people drink beverages every day, sometimes several cups a day, even cutting back a little on sugar or caffeine can make a big difference,” Park said. “There are plenty of drinks on the market now that taste good and are also healthier, so whenever possible I choose decaffeinated coffee or zero-sugar drinks.”

Maeil Dairies' Selex protein drinks [MAEIL DAIRIES]

Food and beverage companies have responded by expanding product lines that emphasize lower caffeine, reduced sugar or functional ingredients.

Starbucks Korea introduced several new drinks in January, about half of them tea-based beverages made by blending different tea leaves. One menu item combines chamomile with yuja citrus fruit and pear.

Choi Hyun-jung, who oversees beverage development at Starbucks Korea, said tea drinks resonate particularly with younger customers.

“Tea drinks let customers enjoy different aromas, colors and temperatures, which fits well with the preferences of customers in their 20s who value their own tastes,” Choi said. “The key is to offer diverse tea experiences.”

Other companies have turned to plant-based and protein beverages. Maeil Dairies reported that sales of plant-based drinks such as Almond Breeze and Amazing Oat rose 7.7 percent last year from the previous year. Its Selex protein drink, marketed as supporting muscle formation and maintenance, sells about 125,000 bottles a day on average.

Dongsuh Foods, the company behind the iconic Maxim instant coffee, has also expanded its range of functional teas. Last year, it introduced products including kombucha with apple cider vinegar and hojicha, a Japanese roasted green tea.

“Green tea sales have stayed flat, but hojicha, which has lower caffeine because the tea leaves are roasted, has been gaining popularity, so we are working on developing new types of tea,” the official said.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI HYUN-JU [[email protected]]