Dongsuh Foods' Kanu Barista espresso machine and capsules / Courtesy of Dongsuh Foods

Dongsuh Foods Corp. is bolstering the country's capsule coffee market, which is increasingly attracting more coffee consumers, according to the major food company, Thursday.

From capsules to home espresso machines, the company is diversifying choices for java drinkers, who have traditionally had to visit coffee shops or premium cafes to enjoy a wide range of coffee drinks.

As food prices at retail outlets and restaurants have soared throughout the year, prompting consumers to search for more affordable options, capsule coffee is gaining popularity among those looking to save money by skipping coffee shops.

Using its brand for instant coffee products, Dongsuh Foods has diversified its lineup reserved for capsules. Kanu Barista, the company's capsule coffee brand that was launched last year with a volume 1.7 times larger than conventional espresso capsules, introduced new flavors last month. Including the capsules already launched late last year, Kanu Barista now has capsule coffee products with flavors that hail from popular coffee-exporting countries in Africa, Central America and Southeast Asia.

Kanu Barista Machine, the company's home-brewing espresso machine line, offers three models with different sizes, materials and designs. One of these models, the Kanu Barista Urban, was awarded the Red Dot Award 2024 for its exceptional design and user-friendly features.

Kanu Barista has become so well-known in the country that when Dongsuh Foods opened a pop-up store named Grand Kanu Hotel at Starfield Hanam and Goyang in July, visitors to the malls lined up for hours to get inside. In May, the company partnered with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Metro to run another pop-up store at Jayang Station on Seoul Metro Line 7 for the month.

“Kanu Barista is a premium capsule coffee that contains more ground coffee and our patented percolating technology,” a Dongsuh Foods official said. "There will be more pop-up stores coming up to induce more consumers to experience our products."