Korea Craft Brewers Association(KCBA) Launches
K-Craft Beer Certification Campaign
 | The small-scale beer industry in Korea is making a comeback, distancing itself from low-quality beers that have lost consumer trust. On April 10, the Korea Craft Brewers Association (President Inki Lee) announced the launch of a campaign to affix the K-Craft Beer certification seal (pictured) on high-quality small-batch beers. The goal is to distinguish “real” craft beer—brewed with craftsmanship and a focus on quality rather than marketing—from low-quality products falsely labeled as craft beer. The campaign kicks off at the Korea International Beer Expo (KIBEX) 2025, held at COEX starting April 10, and will expand to include individual products and other promotional efforts. After explosive growth following the 2014 revision of liquor tax laws, Korea’s craft beer industry faced a downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the decline of on-premise. In response, large and mid-sized companies entered the convenience store market under the "craft beer" label, but often focused more on branding than quality. A flood of collaboration beers led to consumer fatigue |
and a broad rejection of craft beer. Many came to equate “craft beer” with “bad taste,” pushing genuine small-scale brewers to the margins.
President Inki Lee of the Korea Craft Brewers Association, stated, “People say Korean craft beer is dead, but what’s really gone are the convenience store beers. The term ‘craft beer’ has confused consumers, so we aim to establish a premium identity through the K-Craft Beer certification seal.” He expressed confidence that the certification would help consumers distinguish between low-quality beer and genuinely well-crafted brews.
Lee emphasized, “Our high-quality craft beers are still evolving. If we spread the word about our passionate, well-made products, people will begin to recognize and choose quality K-Craft Beer even in convenience stores.”
Indeed, K-Craft Beers have recently stood out in prestigious international competitions like the World Beer Cup and European Beer Star. While domestic demand remains tough, exports to Japan, China, and other regions are gradually increasing. Breweries using local ingredients—like rice, fruits, and vegetables—and focusing on community-based growth are also gaining attention.
Despite challenges, the Korean craft beer industry is growing. The number of beer manufacturing licenses rose from 61 in 2014 to 195 by the end of last year.
Lee added that the certification standards for K-Craft Beer would be shaped through broad industry discussions, with criteria such as “small-scale,” “independence from capital,” and “quality” under consideration.
Globally, similar campaigns have proven effective. In 2017, the Brewers Association (BA) in the U.S., home to the world’s largest craft beer market, launched its Independent Craft Brewer Seal to help consumers identify small independent breweries. Over 4,000 U.S. breweries—covering more than 85% of the market—have adopted the seal. The UK, Canada, and Australia also run similar programs. These seals have proven impactful. A Nielsen survey cited by the BA found that 40% of respondents were “more” or “much more” likely to purchase beer with the craft beer seal—a 5% increase from previous surveys. In addition to the certification campaign, the Korea Craft Brewers Association plans to ramp up promotional efforts. At KIBEX 2025, KCBA will host a joint exhibition booth and organize beer festivals | 
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across major cities. It also plans to grant quality certification to pubs that carefully manage and sell premium beer.
Recently, KCBA formed a special member partnership with Fermentis, a global yeast and fermentation solutions company, to strengthen the industry’s technical capabilities. The partnership will include education, tech support, and co-hosted programs.
Korea Craft Brewers Association(KCBA) Launches
K-Craft Beer Certification Campaign
The small-scale beer industry in Korea is making a comeback, distancing itself from low-quality beers that have lost consumer trust.
On April 10, the Korea Craft Brewers Association (President Inki Lee) announced the launch of a campaign to affix the K-Craft Beer certification seal (pictured) on high-quality small-batch beers. The goal is to distinguish “real” craft beer—brewed with craftsmanship and a focus on quality rather than marketing—from low-quality products falsely labeled as craft beer.
The campaign kicks off at the Korea International Beer Expo (KIBEX) 2025, held at COEX starting April 10, and will expand to include individual products and other promotional efforts.
After explosive growth following the 2014 revision of liquor tax laws, Korea’s craft beer industry faced a downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the decline of on-premise. In response, large and mid-sized companies entered the convenience store market under the "craft beer" label, but often focused more on branding than quality. A flood of collaboration beers led to consumer fatigue
and a broad rejection of craft beer. Many came to equate “craft beer” with “bad taste,” pushing genuine small-scale brewers to the margins.
President Inki Lee of the Korea Craft Brewers Association, stated, “People say Korean craft beer is dead, but what’s really gone are the convenience store beers. The term ‘craft beer’ has confused consumers, so we aim to establish a premium identity through the K-Craft Beer certification seal.” He expressed confidence that the certification would help consumers distinguish between low-quality beer and genuinely well-crafted brews.
Lee emphasized, “Our high-quality craft beers are still evolving. If we spread the word about our passionate, well-made products, people will begin to recognize and choose quality K-Craft Beer even in convenience stores.”
Indeed, K-Craft Beers have recently stood out in prestigious international competitions like the World Beer Cup and European Beer Star. While domestic demand remains tough, exports to Japan, China, and other regions are gradually increasing. Breweries using local ingredients—like rice, fruits, and vegetables—and focusing on community-based growth are also gaining attention.
Despite challenges, the Korean craft beer industry is growing. The number of beer manufacturing licenses rose from 61 in 2014 to 195 by the end of last year.
Lee added that the certification standards for K-Craft Beer would be shaped through broad industry discussions, with criteria such as “small-scale,” “independence from capital,” and “quality” under consideration.
Globally, similar campaigns have proven effective. In 2017, the Brewers Association (BA) in the U.S., home to the world’s largest craft beer market, launched its Independent Craft Brewer Seal to help consumers identify small independent breweries. Over 4,000 U.S. breweries—covering more than 85% of the market—have adopted the seal. The UK, Canada, and Australia also run similar programs.
These seals have proven impactful. A Nielsen survey cited by the BA found that 40% of respondents were “more” or “much more” likely to purchase beer with the craft beer seal—a 5% increase from previous surveys.
In addition to the certification campaign, the Korea Craft Brewers Association plans to ramp up promotional efforts. At KIBEX 2025, KCBA will host a joint exhibition booth and organize beer festivals
across major cities. It also plans to grant quality certification to pubs that carefully manage and sell premium beer.
Recently, KCBA formed a special member partnership with Fermentis, a global yeast and fermentation solutions company, to strengthen the industry’s technical capabilities. The partnership will include education, tech support, and co-hosted programs.