Welcome to Local Heroes, our column dedicated to emerging local and national brands across all categories and geographies.
Today’s spotlight falls on Hoju Soju, an intriguing Aussie variation on an age-old Korean spirit.
AUSTRALIA. ‘Korean spirit and Australian culture in a bottle.’ That’s the tagline for Hoju Soju, an Aussie twist on the famed Korean rice-based spirit Soju which has just made its duty free debut with Heinemann Australia in a high-profile promotion at Sydney Airport.
Hoju Soju is the creation of long-time friends and business partners Paul Wheatley and Damian Kent. The pair had worked together over many years in Australia and Southeast Asia helping bring a range of liquor brands to life at Signaction, a signwriting, brand development and retail display company (where both still work).
The story has it that on a warm Autumn night in Sydney’s George Street, Wheatley and Kent dined at a Korean BBQ restaurant. Their choice of tipple? Soju, of course. The country may have been in the grip of COVID but the duo decided the time was ripe to launch a Soju with an Aussie twist. Hoju Soju was born.
And the name? Simple. In Korean, 호주 (pronounced ‘Hoju’) means ‘Australia’.
It’ s a great entrepreneurial story and fantastic to see Heinemann supporting more local heroes as we have dubbed national or regional brands in this series. Surely it won’t be too long before a certain Korean travel retail powerhouse, now with thriving operations in Melbourne, Darwin and Brisbane airports and Sydney and Melbourne downtown, follows suit? 건배 ( ‘Cheers’). ✈
*Got a ‘Local Heroes’ story to tell? Drop me an email at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com and we will help you tell it.
Previously on Local Heroes
Local Heroes: Otter Craft Distilling outlines its pride and principles
