[AKyung Hit Product] The Pioneer of 'Soft Soju,' 'Cheoeum Cheoreom'

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] Lotte Chilsung Beverage has brought a fresh change to the soju industry with ‘Cheoeum Cheoreom,’ the world’s first soju made using alkaline reduced water. Cheoeum Cheoreom has strongly shaken the domestic soju market, which was led by Chamisul, in a short period through the product attributes of alkaline reduced water, an emotional brand name, and differentiated marketing.

Launched in February 2006, Cheoeum Cheoreom created a new sensation by breaking all sales records related to soju, selling 10 million bottles within just 17 days of its release and 100 million bottles in less than six months.

In particular, Cheoeum Cheoreom has played a leading role in driving the trend of low-alcohol soju in the market. At the time of its launch, when 21 degrees was the norm, it established a smooth soju image with ‘20-degree Cheoeum Cheoreom,’ and in 2007, by lowering the alcohol content to 19.5 degrees, it led the ‘19.5-degree soju era,’ which even the top company joined.

In February 2014, to further emphasize the product’s characteristic of ‘smoothness,’ it released ‘18-degree Cheoeum Cheoreom,’ lowering the alcohol content by 1 degree for the first time in seven years, breaking the ‘19-degree barrier,’ and then renewed it again to 17.5 degrees from December, making it smoother.

Following the consumption trends in the low-alcohol liquor market, in April 2018, the alcohol content was lowered from 17.5 degrees to 17 degrees by 0.5 degrees, reaffirming its status as a smooth soju. Then, starting from December last year, the alcohol content was further reduced by 0.1 degrees to 16.9 degrees, pioneering the era of 16-degree soju as the first nationwide leading soju product.