Bae Juice can be described as the next best thing in the world of late nights and big weekends!
Last week Chris has the chance to interview Tim O’Sullivan one of the co founders of “Bae Juice” a 100% Korean pear juice to hit the Australian market. This ripping remedy is the new first-stop on your one-way ticket to party town, however even if you don’t hit the streets for a late night boogie! There are also a range of benefits to this golden liquid…
“Hold tight! We will explain the benefits soon…“
Our Interview with Tim O’Sullivan
Throughout the podcast which you can find here: Episode 47 – Going Against The Grain with Tim O’Sullivan
We dived into the origin of Bae Juice, How Tim got expelled from school in year 10 from shoplifting on a school trip and talked about how he scaled his family cafe from a 35 seated venue to 125, while also opening a Korean BBQ restaurant in Burleigh heads called Suzy BBQ, investing in a luxury end fashion brand called Monphell, opening a range of other businesses and learning the who’s, how’s and why’s of business throughout his journey and why being yourself is so important in the world today!
The Benefits Of Korean Pears
Korean pears, also known as Asian pears or Pyrus pyrifolia, have been known for their medicinal properties in East Asia for centuries! In recent years, they have gained popularity in the Western world, particularly as a natural remedy for hangovers.
However, the benefits of Korean pears extend far beyond the morning-after blues.
Firstly, let’s talk about hangovers. We’ve all been there – a fun night out with friends followed by the dreaded headache, nausea, and fatigue.
“If your over 25 you know the pain of a hangover these days…”
While there are many hangover cures out there, Korean pears have been shown to be particularly effective.
In a study published in the Journal of Food Science, participants who drank Korean pear juice before consuming alcohol reported less severe hangover symptoms than those who did not. This is due to the high water content and anti-inflammatory properties of Korean pears, which help to reduce the effects of alcohol on the body.
But Korean pears offer more than just a solution to a night of overindulgence. They are also packed with nutrients and antioxidants that provide a range of health benefits. For example, Korean pears are high in fibre, which aids digestion and can help prevent constipation. They also contain vitamin C, which is essential for a healthy immune system.
In addition, Korean pears contain flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants that can help to reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a leading cause of many chronic diseases, so consuming foods rich in antioxidants such as Korean pears can help to reduce your risk of developing these conditions.
Another benefit of Korean pears is their ability to regulate blood sugar levels. A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that Korean pears can help to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. This is likely due to the high fiber content of Korean pears, which slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.
So, next time you’re looking for a healthy snack or a remedy for a hangover, consider reaching for a Korean pear. Not only are they delicious and refreshing, but they also offer a range of health benefits that can improve your overall well-being.
As the old saying goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” – perhaps we should add “a Korean pear a day keeps the hangover away” to the list!
The Story of Bae Juice
Tim said: ” I was travelling in South Korea with my business partner Sumin visiting her family and friends. We had weeks of drinking and partying, and now and then, one of Sumin’s friends would hand me a Korean pear juice saying, duhhhh, didn’t you know Korean pear helps your hangover???
I was fascinated. I was waking up with a less cloudy head and was sold on the concept of repackaging and offering it to the Australian market.
We did some sampling with Korean packaged Korean pear juice to different demographics in Australia.
Everyone loved the product and had great feedback when it came to reducing hangovers. Sumin and I took a massive leap of faith and went to South Korea to find a supplier. We had no plan and no meetings.
In the first few days, with Sumin’s dad hustling some meetings, we met outside of Seoul with the largest supplier of Korean pears in South Korea. We rolled in, we both have lots of tattoos, wearing shorts and t-shirts (very unprofessional). We were 24 years old.
We told the supplier we want to bring this to Australia; saying it’s the perfect concept for Aussie’s.
We gave the supplier some stats on the drinking culture and the retail opportunities in Australia, and they said, “Cool, sounds interesting, let’s tour the facility and show you how it’s made.” And that was it, the start of something amazing.
We went back to Australia, worked with an amazing graphic designer Maddi Sheehan and built a brand and a website. We set up the company and launched the product in Jan 2019.
The journey has been a roller coaster. The first 12 months we gave out around 10,000 samples. We were exploring ideas; we had no marketing strategy or anything. We got into a few cafes and independent grocers. It wasn’t until 2020 we got into about 50 stores. That then grew to 100. We scored a trial with 15 Dan Murphys and started to gain some real momentum.
We had massive PR in the Daily Mail, News.com, Broadsheet and Urbanlist, and we started getting our brand on people’s radar.
The real life-changer hit in October 2020 when we landed a full range at 987 Woolworths stores in Australia. We celebrated pretty damn hard for this one.
We were officially no longer a concept or an idea; we were now in 1000 stores nationwide. So we went from 100 stores in October last year, fast forward to today and we’re in just about 2000 stores.
Marketing wise we’ve always been a busy brand. We throw the kitchen sink at everything! We sponsor podcasts, events, F3 drivers, fashion shows and even small gigs to support local Australian bands and artists. “
Listen To The Podcast Episode
To listen into the full interview, find the recent episode here: Episode 47 – Going Against The Grain with Tim O’Sullivan
References to studies that support the health benefits of Korean pears:
- Lee, H.S. and Kim, M.R. (2013). Effect of Korean pear (Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Shingo) juice on hangover severity following alcohol consumption. Journal of Food Science, 78(8), H1260-H1264. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.12150
- Jeong, H.S. et al. (2015). Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) supplementation attenuates inflammation and promotes Th2-mediated immunity in mice fed a high-fat diet. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 26(12), 1463-1470. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.07.009
- Song, E.J. et al. (2014). Korean pear (Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Shingo) peel and its bioactive compounds ameliorate wrinkle formation and regulate MMPs expression in UVB-irradiated skin fibroblasts. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 51(10), 2521-2527. doi: 10.1007/s13197-012-0693-6
- Lee, C.H. et al. (2013). Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) consumption and prevalence of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in Korean adults: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008-2010. Nutrition Research and Practice, 7(5), 409-417. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2013.7.5.409
- Hong, Y.H. et al. (2013). The beneficial effects of Korean pear (Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Shingo) on hyperglycemia and hepatic steatosis in high fat diet-induced obese mice. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 55, 517-525. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2013.01.015