Summer seasonal drinks made with domestic flat peaches are gaining popularity at coffee shops in railway stations.
Korail Retail said on the 27th that summer seasonal drink sales at its railway station coffee chain "Cafe Storyway" rose 44 percent from a year earlier. The result came as demand for cold beverages expanded amid the intense heat. Korail Retail operates Cafe Storyway at major railway stations including Yongsan Station, Busan Station, and Daejeon Station.
The growth was led by flat peach menu items newly introduced this year. Among seasonal drink sales, the flat peach yogurt smoothie accounted for 23 percent and the flat peach latte for 16 percent, ranking at the top. In June, Korail Retail launched summer-limited menu items including watermelon juice, flat peach latte, flat peach yogurt smoothie, and Amangchu (iced tea with added mango).
The flat peach seasonal drinks were planned to foster shared growth with local farms. They use excellent domestic produce recommended by the Rural Development Administration, with ingredients supplied through the Gyeongsan City Agricultural Technology Center. The company explained that it achieved a differentiated taste by blending the rich aroma and sweet flesh of flat peaches from Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, with milk and yogurt.
Last summer, the company ran seasonal menus centered on watermelon juice and citron crush. This year, it has continued its sales growth through the introduction of new menu items. The flat peach seasonal drinks will be sold in limited quantities until mid-September.
Meanwhile, the best-selling drink at Cafe Storyway in the first half was the Americano, at 38.6 percent. Coffee drinks accounted for 57.8 percent of total sales, while non-coffee beverages made up 42.2 percent.
"Seasonal menu items made with domestic produce are receiving a good response from customers," said Park Jun-kyu, head of Korail Retail's direct business division. "We plan to continue expanding products tailored to seasonal demand and menus that consider shared growth with local farms."
