HiteJinro Beverage's 'Black Barley' Surpasses 200 Million Bottles in Cumulative Sales

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Hite Jinro Beverage announced on the 22nd that its black barley tea beverage ‘Black Barley’ has surpassed cumulative sales of 200 million bottles (based on 340mL) in 46 months since its launch in December 2017.

‘Black Barley,’ made from a new variety of black barley, started with sales reaching 15 billion KRW in its first year and has maintained double-digit sales growth annually. In its third year since launch, last year, it led the simultaneous rise of barley tea products in the overall 300 billion KRW tea beverage market, surpassing Hovenia dulcis tea and corn silk tea to become the number one category in the market.

This achievement is evaluated to be due to enhancing the taste and quality by using black barley, which has a rich flavor and high nutritional value, as the main ingredient in line with the expanding consumption trend in the beverage market focused on daily essentials such as bottled water and barley tea. Additionally, the growing consumer interest in ‘health’ and ‘immunity’ recently has made black barley recognized as the next-generation superfood, which also positively contributed to the sales expansion. Black barley, first successfully bred worldwide by the Rural Development Administration of Korea, contains 1.5 times more dietary fiber and 4 times more anthocyanins, known as antioxidants, compared to regular barley. It is currently cultivated only in some domestic regions such as Gochang in Jeonbuk and Haenam, the southernmost village, which are biological conservation areas. ‘Black Barley’ is made from 100% domestically grown black barley, contains no caffeine or sugar, and is easily absorbed by the body, making it a healthy water substitute suitable for all age groups.

Riding on the steady growth of ‘Black Barley,’ Hite Jinro Beverage recently renewed and launched the expanded product ‘Black Barley Light’ as a clear and clean barley water tea.

A Hite Jinro Beverage official said, “Since bottled water and tea beverages are driven by hydration and thirst relief as purchase motives, it is expected that the combined market will expand to about 2 trillion KRW in the future.” He added, “As the barley tea market is showing growth centered on Black Barley, we will lead market expansion through aggressive marketing.”