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Gompyo Wheat Beer produced by SevenBrau (left) and by Jeju Beer Company (right). (Photo: SevenBrau Brewery) |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] A legal dispute is unfolding between Daehan Flour Mills and SevenBrau over the rights to "Gompyo Wheat Beer," the craft beer that helped spark Korea’s first major craft beer boom.
On June 18, Daehan Flour Mills announced that it has filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation of non-liability against SevenBrau, and added that it also plans to pursue a claim for damages. The company stated, "SevenBrau’s continued dissemination of false information has seriously damaged our reputation and disrupted our business. We can no longer overlook the harm being caused. We will clarify the facts and respond in accordance with the law to protect the brand value and consumer trust built over decades."
Gompyo Wheat Beer was launched in May 2020 as a collaboration between Daehan Flour Mills, which owns the trademark, and SevenBrau, which handled production. The product became a hit, selling 60 million cans over three years and playing a key role in popularizing craft beer in Korea.
Previously struggling with losses, SevenBrau returned to profitability with KRW 11.8 billion in operating income in 2021 and began preparing for a KOSDAQ listing.
However, concerns arose at Daehan Flour Mills in early 2023 as SevenBrau's trademark licensing agreement was set to expire in March. The company voiced concerns that SevenBrau was attempting to leverage the Gompyo brand for its IPO. Daehan ultimately chose to end the partnership and launched “Gompyo Wheat Beer Season 2” with a new manufacturing partner, Jeju Beer Company.
In response, SevenBrau accused Daehan of abusing its market dominance by unilaterally terminating the contract and allegedly leaking proprietary brewing methods to Jeju Beer. The company argued that Daehan should have ceased beer sales or at least released a distinctly different product after the contract ended.
While SevenBrau initially filed for an injunction to halt sales of the new Gompyo Wheat Beer, the company later withdrew the request citing the lengthy legal process and turned instead to public advocacy.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
