Bite of NY은 뉴욕 요식업계에서 다양한 직종으로 종사하는 한인들을 소개하며, 요리에 대한 예술적 가치를 알리기 위한 프로젝트이다. 그들의 발자취, 현재, 그리고 앞으로의 비전을 담은 인터뷰와 더불어 KANA가 직접 방문한 후기를 통해 그들의 이야기를 전달하고자 한다.
기발한 캔 막걸리를 선보여 미국 주류 시장의 주목을 받고있는 브랜드 Makku의 CEO, Carol Pak님을 소개합니다.
컬럼비아 대학교의 MBA과정을 거쳐 2017년, 개운한 캔막걸리 Makku를 런칭한 Carol Pak 대표를 만나 요식업계에 진입하게 된 계기, 미국 주류 시장에서 입지를 다지는 데 성공한 Makku만의 독특한 매력, 그리고 그녀의 미래 포부에 대해 들어보았다.
Your background consists of operations, marketing, and an MBA. Now, you're in the food and beverage industry as the CEO of Makku. Would you consider yourself a culinary professional? What was your experience during product development?
I would consider myself a culinary enthusiast, but by no means, a culinary professional. Culinary professionals learn the science behind food and beverage, while I just really enjoy tasting and experimenting with food and beverages. My product development journey is similar to many other food & beverage entrepreneurs who start research and development in their kitchens. Some have grown up seeing their mothers cook in the kitchen, global trips, or Youtubers inspire others. We all have enough passion and confidence about an idea to bring it to life.
Prior to Makku, I had brewed beer at home a couple of times and thought it wouldn't be too challenging to brew makkuli. Unfortunately, I learned that there is not much information about brewing makkuli online, and even less information is available in English. After several failed attempts at brewing makkuli, I leaned on my mom to find information on Naver, Korean tv shows, and Korean blogs. With each batch of makkuli she made, I would give her feedback, and my mom would tweak the recipe for the next batch. We continued this cycle for several months. One limitation with creating a formula at home is that you don't face the commercial issues of safety, shelf life, and scalability.
As a twist on traditional Korean rice wine, Makku (the product) could've been unfamiliar to both Koreans and Americans. Why do you think Makku is successful in the U.S. market?
It took a few years to grow Makku in the U.S., and I am hesitant to call Makku successful just yet. We are looking to define makkuli as a category of alcohol, and as a first-mover in our category, we have the responsibility of educating the consumers and market. This, unfortunately, is a very time-consuming and expensive feat.
That being said, the timing of our market entrance was opportune since Korean culture is increasingly permeating the U.S., and the internet is enabling consumers to be more open-minded and curious. So products such as ours have a good chance of resonating with a broader population. Additionally, we have a loyal following of Asian Americans who were never really top of mind for other large alcohol brands such as Budweiser and White Claw. Asian consumers are increasingly growing in purchasing power, influence, and sheer population, so it's a great consumer base to have.
What are your future ambitions as the Makku CEO?
Our company name is K Brews, and our vision is to distribute premium Korean alcohol brands. Makku was our first brand because I saw a clear void of makkuli in the U.S. market, but we are preparing to launch a second brand this Fall. In the long term, we expect to expand globally, with our eyes set on Asia.
KANA’s Experience with Makku
The modern, yet simple, packaging design alone was enough to capture my attention, but we were pleasantly surprised to find the flavors were written in Korean to honor where the drink came from. Makku is a twist on makkuli, Korea’s traditional rice wine, but it’s much sweeter and smoother with a clean after-taste and the variety of flavors (mango, blueberry, strawberry, leech, etc.) makes it interesting to discover different tastes, but for those who prefer less sweet drinks, We’d recommend the original flavor. Traditionally, people share makkuli served in a bowl with a ladle. It’s difficult to share with Makku’s can design, but it is light enough to have it all by yourself. For those who enjoy flavored beer/ seltzers, this is a drink for you.
KANA Team Members: Brian Jin Kim, Hyewon Kim, Sieun Lee, Siwon Lee, Hyun Suk Oh, Hee Joo Suh, Yunjung Lim
SOOL : Màkku & Soku
Website: www.drinkmakku.com
Instagram: @drinksool
Facebook: /DrinkMakku