Samyang Corp. wraps up 'Cafelab Run & Rave' event combining running, coffee and music

Samyang Corp. said it held an experiential event for its plant-based beverage brand Cafelab, titled "Cafelab Run & Rave," on Saturday at MTL Hannam in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, in collaboration with cafe brand MTL.

The event blended running with the "morning rave" culture of enjoying coffee, music and dancing in the early hours of the day. About 50 participants who signed up in advance through MTL's SNS ran a 10-kilometer course between Hannam-dong and the area near Banpo Bridge, then enjoyed beverages and baked goods at MTL Hannam. A DJ set was also held.

Cafelab ambassador and barista Lee Ji-yu presented four special drinks developed using Cafelab's oat and almond beverages. Samyang Corp. also served items from its frozen bakery brand Prepang, including a chocolate plate, a Jeju tangerine pie and a cream cheese strawberry pie.

Yang Cheol-ho, head of Samyang Corp.'s food ingredients business unit, said the company prepared the event not just to raise awareness of Cafelab but to give consumers a chance to share positive energy. "We will communicate with wellness-conscious consumers, including runners in their 20s and 30s, and build Cafelab into a brand that fits a healthy lifestyle," he said.

Meanwhile, Cafelab is an Australian plant-based beverage brand exclusively distributed in South Korea by Samyang Corp.'s subsidiary Subcue. It comes in two varieties — Cafelab Almond and Cafelab Oat — made from Australian-grown almonds and oats, respectively. The brand supplies major domestic cafe franchise chains and was named the official beverage of the 2025 Korea Latte Art Championship.