All-Malt Lager New Product 'Kelly' Officially Launched
Focusing on Initial Stocking with Full Sales Force Mobilization
Strengthening Promotions and Events to Expand Drinking Experience
With its 100th anniversary approaching next year, HiteJinro, aiming to reclaim the top spot in the domestic beer market, has begun full-scale sales of its new product, 'Kelly (KELLY)'. Similar to the launch of 'Terra,' HiteJinro plans to mobilize its entire sales force to maximize in-store purchases and boost brand awareness through various promotional activities, aiming for rapid market establishment.
On the 4th, HiteJinro officially launched 'Kelly,' an all-malt premium lager beer. Kelly is the first beer brand introduced by HiteJinro in four years since Terra in 2019. It features 100% premium malt grown in Denmark, nurtured by the North Atlantic sea breeze, and undergoes a double maturation process.
HiteJinro intends to leverage strong sales efforts from the early stages to ensure Kelly’s smooth market entry. Since early diffusion is crucial for new products, the company aims to quickly raise product awareness through diverse sales activities. In fact, when Terra was launched, HiteJinro focused its sales power on key commercial districts with a strategy to win the market within three months, achieving sales of 100 million bottles within 100 days.
This time as well, HiteJinro plans to emphasize Kelly’s product quality and concentrate sales capabilities on initial purchases. Specifically, they plan to actively distribute promotional materials and operate pop-up stores to increase opportunities for as many consumers as possible to experience the product in a short period. In addition to promotional activities in major commercial areas, participation in key festivals to increase consumer touchpoints is also being actively considered.
While Terra is performing well in the entertainment market, Cass leads Terra in the home market. Therefore, expanding market share in the home segment is expected to be key for HiteJinro to reclaim the top position in the beer market. To this end, HiteJinro plans to strengthen price competitiveness and implement diversification strategies. First, Kelly’s price is set the same as Terra’s to preemptively eliminate any potential barrier to consumer adoption due to price. Although Kelly’s malt costs are higher and initial investment expenses were significant compared to Terra, the priority is to provide drinking experiences to as many consumers as possible.
Furthermore, HiteJinro plans to establish a two-top system alongside the existing Terra, expanding consumer choice with a dual-brand strategy rather than competing with a single brand. A HiteJinro official stated, “Until now, domestic regular beers offered fewer choices compared to imported or craft beers, but Kelly, which maximizes both smoothness and intensity, will be an excellent option to satisfy diversity.”
HiteJinro’s dual-brand strategy has previously proven successful in the soju market with ‘Chamisul’ and ‘Jinro.’ Since launching Chamisul in 1998 and maintaining market responsiveness, HiteJinro added the nostalgic ‘Jinro’ with a toad mascot and transparent bottle in 2019, activating a ‘Chamisul + Jinro’ two-track strategy with a newtro sensibility. Since then, the two products have created synergy, achieving over 65% domestic market share.
Kelly is a product developed after three years of research and development by HiteJinro to realize a lager beer that simultaneously delivers smoothness and intense flavor. To achieve this, Danish barley with a soft characteristic is germinated 24 hours longer than regular malt through a ‘slow germination’ process, resulting in a smooth taste. Additionally, Kelly undergoes a ‘double maturation method,’ first maturing at 7°C and then again at -1.5°C, adding intense carbonation and achieving a balanced flavor profile where two contrasting taste attributes coexist.
Kelly will be sold simultaneously across the country in large supermarkets, convenience stores, and other home channels, as well as in restaurants and entertainment channels following its first shipment. The wholesale price is the same as existing beers, and the alcohol content is 4.5%.
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