Hwayo is an artisanal premium rice Soju (a clear spirit distilled from rice) vacuum distilled for optimal aroma and flavour and matured underground for 3 months in traditional Korean Onggi pots (microporous earthenware known for their breathability).
“Hwa” means fire, and “Yo” symbolizes a noble object.
Rice sourced from Yeoju, Korea, and pure natural bedrock water from 150m underground aquifers.
Carefully selected and cultivated microbes for optimal flavour and aroma.
100% rice spirit with no additives showcasing the beauty of Hwayo's craftmanship and the purity of the finest regions of the Korean Peninsula.
Hwayo was created in 2003 by two master blenders who wanted to modernize and popularize the 700-year old tradition of fine artisanal Soju making in Korea. They were recruited by a renowned Korean food culture brand Kwangjuyo, which was wrestling with the absence of high quality Soju that could be proudly served at their Michelin 3 Star restaurants. Since then, Hwayo has won numerous awards like the Monde Selection Gold, IWSC, and 7 consecutive years of Korean Alcoholic Beverage Awards. Now, their spirits are the most well-known premium spirit brand in Korea and Hwayo is served in many Michelin Star restaurants around the world (New York, London, Seoul, Hong Kong, etc.).
Cote (New York)
JinJuu (Iron Chef UK Winner)
Oiji (New York)
Gaon (International)
Lung King Heen (Hong Kong)
La Yeon (Seoul) and more
Being distilled from rice is a factor that appeals to many people who avoid gluten. Although distillation processes remove gluten from liquor, some people still report sensitivity to spirits distilled from gluten-containing grains. These consumers actively seek alternatives such as rice based liquor. Every HWAYO product including the HWAYO X.Premium rice whiskey meets these needs.
There are very few Korean liquor brands available in Canada and even fewer artisanal Korean liquor brands. This makes HWAYO very unique and well-positioned in the premium-seeking market. Furthermore, HWAYO is one of the only premium Soju brands to have an existing Millennial fan base. Because of its popularity among young adults, HWAYO became the first Korean liquor to enter the night life market in 2015. Millennials are the biggest driving force for the craft premium liquor growth. Mintel’s research showed that 75% of US Millennials agreed craft alcohol brands are higher quality than big brands. Their preference for quality over quantity and openness to new experiences and cultures make for an ideal environment for HWAYO to thrive.
Modern consumers in mature markets such as Canada have a strong appetite for authentic, unique products. HWAYO can target these consumers in multiple levels; both with its craft premium appeal and the rare origin story for this category. The growing acceptance of Asian culture in North America is unmistakable. The Asian population in Canada is projected to more than double between 2011 and 2031 and the United States has had an over 72% increase in Asian population since 2000. In Hollywood Korean films increasingly win coveted awards and international knowledge and awareness of Asian affairs is higher than ever. Soju is one of the most sold spirits in the world; Korean restaurants around the world serve almost exclusively Soju for distilled liquor. Yet it is highly unknown outside of the Korean community in Canada.
There has been an undeniable growth in worldwide Korean influence. The Korean series "Squid Game" was number one on Netflix for over 4 weeks. Bong Joon-Ho’s “Parasite” won the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival 2019 and Best Picture at the Oscars 2020. BTS was featured on Time Magazine’s international cover as “Next Generation Leaders”, named Time Magazine’s top 25 most influential people on the internet 2017-2019 and their “Dynamite” video was the first on YouTube to ever pass 100 million views in one day. Blackpink is the most followed girl group on Spotify, the most subscribed girl group, music act, and Asian act on YouTube, and the first music group with three videos to have over a billion views on YouTube. Soju is already the highest selling liquor worldwide and the western market is growing in Soju's direction.
