When the winter chill begins to settle in the air, nothing’s better than a mug of steaming hot tea.

But that is not the only reason South Korea’s youngsters flock to Osulloc Teahouses, a cafe chain run by the nation’s largest cosmetics company Amore Pacific.

The first Osulloc Teahouse opened in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, in 2004 was favorably received among the public for its unique ambience embracing both traditional and modern sentiments of the tea-loving nation. The cosmetics company soon expanded the shop and opened more branches in Apgujeong-dong and Supyo-dong.

“The image of tea-drinking was polarized in the mid 2000s, as something either very cheap or very luxurious. The fundamental values of tea were overshadowed,” said a spokesperson for Amore Pacific.

“Taking this into account, Amore Pacific aimed to reestablish the original value of tea as well as present pleasure that can only be experienced when drinking high-quality tea. The strategy succeeded to catch the eyes of young consumers.”

Osulloc Teahouses offer not only tea but also various baked goods and ice cream made using tea. Tea sommeliers are present to provide detailed information on different teas, the ways to drink them and their effects. Tea classes for customers are occasionally held as well.

Amore Pacific also runs Osulloc Tea Museum on Jeju Island where the company’s four-decade old tea garden is located. Visitors have increased about 20 percent every year since the renovation in 2009, and more than 1 million people visit the venue per year. For foreign tourists in particular, it has become a must-visit spot on the island. 

Osulloc has rolled out premium tea products and utensils since 2007 and opened tea shops in local department stores to better access the public. Last year, it opened Osulloc Mall online for its increasing number of young customers.

Its newly developed Masters Tea such as Illohyang, Sejak, Samdayeon, and whimsical Blending Teas including Wedding Green Tea, Happy Green Tea and Season of Jeju are some of the best sellers, the company said.

“The biggest achievement is that youngsters are showing interest in tea. Osulloc’s blending line, for example, which is especially popular among relatively young customers, is about to mark 10 billion won in yearly sales,” said the company’s spokesperson.

Illohyang, especially, brought home the first prize in North American Tea Championship’s Pan-fried green tea category in 2009, 2011 and 2011; and the gold prize in the World Green Tea Contest held in Japan in 2008, 2009.

As Osulloc’s tea swept many awards, international buyers started to recognize the brand. Over 20 tons of tea was exported to buyers in the U.S., Canada, Germany and Austria in 2011, and about 40 tons are expected to be exported this year to Canada, Germany and Netherlands. It also teamed up with Starbucks last month to supply 28.5 tons of green tea powder.

“Starbucks, which is known to be strict in terms of choosing its suppliers, acknowledged the excellence of Amore Pacific’s green tea,” said the spokesperson of the Korean company.

By Park Min-young  (claire@heraldcorp.com)