KT Alpha's Jo Seong-su: "Future Growth Strategy 'Next'... Comprehensive Expansion"

Future Food Strategy Presented
IP, Platform, and Global Expansion

Chosungsoo, CEO of KT Alpha, announced on the 16th that “Through the merger, we have strengthened the DNA of a comprehensive distribution business as a commerce specialist company within the KT Group,” and presented ‘N.EX.T,’ a future growth strategy signifying all-around expansion into new areas.

Jongsoo Cho, CEO of KT Alpha.

At the in-house management strategy briefing held at the KT Alpha Shopping Media Center, CEO Cho said, “To overcome the current crisis and challenges, we will focus on firmly strengthening the essence of the distribution business while expanding the business for future growth.”

N.EX.T includes strategies for brand intellectual property (IP) expansion, platform expansion, and global expansion for future growth in three major business sectors: commerce, mobile coupons, and content distribution. KT Alpha Shopping strengthens fundamental product competitiveness through a brand IP business-centered lineup. Starting with the premium women’s fashion brand ‘Le Toit’ launched last year, this year it will sequentially introduce the UK premium sports fashion brand ‘Henry Lloyd’ and the US denim brand ‘Joss Jean.’

Oasis Alpha, a joint venture established by KT Alpha Shopping and Oasis Market, is expected to fully launch its business this year. By leveraging KT Alpha Shopping’s mobile live production and sourcing capabilities and Oasis Market’s fresh food competitiveness and cold chain capabilities, it will strengthen competitiveness in the mobile commerce business.

The mobile coupon Giftishow, holding the No. 1 domestic B2B market share, will officially start its global business based on its core competencies. A joint venture, Aqua Retail, was established with media solution company RT Media in Vietnam to expand the mobile coupon value chain. This is the first case of establishing an overseas joint venture among KT Group companies, and efforts will be made to create synergy to set an excellent precedent.

The content distribution business plans to find new growth engines both domestically and overseas. In addition to existing genres such as movies and dramas, it will secure various genres of content including K-pop and audio dramas to actively respond to demand from Internet TV (IPTV) and online video service (OTT) platforms. Furthermore, by acquiring K-content copyrights, it will target overseas markets and drive continuous business growth.

CEO Cho emphasized, “We will strengthen our identity as a comprehensive distribution business that sources home shopping products, mobile coupons, and content works and delivers them to customers with needs, while creating the new challenge and the promising next step, N.EX.T, together with our executives and employees.”