Maxim Mocha Gold turns 37, leaning into nostalgia and hands-on experiences

Maxim Mocha Gold is marking its 37th anniversary this year. The coffee mix has sold about 5.3 billion sticks over the past year — roughly 170 sticks every second.

The story begins in 1989. Dongsuh Foods, which introduced the world's first coffee mix in 1976, began developing a new blend tailored to Korean tastes as competition intensified in the late 1980s. The company ran countless experiments adjusting roasting intensity and extraction processes. As a result, Maxim Mocha Gold was born, offering a rich aroma and smooth flavor.

Maxim Mocha Gold has held the top spot in South Korea's coffee mix market ever since. Its enduring popularity is widely credited to a "golden ratio" formula. Dongsuh Foods carefully selects high-quality beans and has refined a blend suited to Korean palates based on years of accumulated consumer research data.

The brand recently launched a new advertising campaign featuring actor Park Bo-young. Built around the message "Be happy now, have a cup of happiness now," the campaign highlights the product's place in everyday moments. In the closing scene, Park sips Mocha Gold from a yellow mug with a smile, accompanied by the tagline: "Your soul knows this happiness — Korea's soul coffee."

Experiential marketing has been a consistent part of the brand's strategy. Since 2015, Dongsuh Foods has operated Mocha Gold pop-up cafes in Busan, Jeonju, Gunsan, Gyeongju and other cities, with each showing adopting a different concept — a retro teahouse, a bookshop, a photo studio or a post office. The yellow-accented spaces, filled with stylish props, have become popular SNS destinations.

"The reason Maxim Mocha Gold has been loved for more than 30 years is not just our technology, but the sincerity with which we have tried to deliver the happiness that comes from a single cup of coffee," a Dongsuh Foods official said. "We plan to continue developing products focused on taste and aroma while keeping up our communication with consumers."