New Product 'Ilpum Jinro Oak 25' Launch
Lee Hyori Selected as Brand's First Model
Aiming to Expand Market Leadership by Increasing Awareness
HiteJinro is promoting singer Lee Hyori as the first-ever model for the 'Ilpoom Jinro' brand, aiming to popularize distilled soju. The strategy is to quickly raise awareness of distilled soju by diversifying the product lineup and utilizing a big-name model, thereby securing leadership in the high-growth distilled soju market.
According to HiteJinro on the 29th, sales of Ilpoom Jinro from January to April this year increased by 30% compared to the same period last year. Ilpoom Jinro, HiteJinro's distilled soju brand, began with a 14% sales growth in 2020 compared to the previous year, followed by two consecutive years of growth in the 70% range from 2021. Although the growth rate slowed to around 6% last year, it rebounded this year by rising back to the 30% range.
As the Ilpoom Jinro product line continues to grow, HiteJinro is accelerating its efforts. On the 23rd, HiteJinro introduced a new distilled soju product, ‘Ilpoom Jinro Oak 25’. Ilpoom Jinro Oak 25, with an alcohol content of 25%, is a premium distilled soju blended using top-quality base spirits aged for over five years in wooden barrels, characterized by its smooth aroma and flavor. With the launch of Ilpoom Jinro Oak 25, the Ilpoom Jinro lineup has expanded to include the basic product ‘Ilpoom Jinro 25 (25% alcohol)’, ‘Ilpoom Jinro Oak 43 (43%)’, ‘Ilpoom Jinro 1924 Heritage (30%)’, and ‘Ilpoom Jinro Goyeonsan (31%)’.
Alongside the new product launch, HiteJinro has officially started its advertising campaign by selecting singer Lee Hyori as the brand model. This is the first time since Ilpoom Jinro’s launch in 2007 that a brand model has been appointed. The company plans to increase consumer touchpoints across various channels, leveraging the first-ever model for the brand. By appointing a famous model for the first time in the brand’s history, HiteJinro is expected to accelerate efforts to expand the distilled soju product category, which has traditionally been regarded as a niche for alcohol enthusiasts, into the mainstream market.
HiteJinro’s focus on expanding the lineup and employing a major model to grow the Ilpoom Jinro brand reflects its belief in the high growth potential of this category. As domestic consumers’ income and taste levels rise, demand for quality alcohol is increasing across all beverage types. Consequently, within the soju category, the market is gradually shifting from diluted soju, which is affordable and accessible, to distilled soju, which is relatively more expensive but offers superior taste and flavor.
According to the National Tax Service, the distilled soju market, which was only 590 kiloliters (㎘) in volume and 6.8 billion KRW in value in 2019, grew to 2,428 ㎘ in volume and 47.8 billion KRW in value by 2022, representing growth rates of 311.5% and 602.9%, respectively, over three years. As the market expands, ‘Hwayo’, operated by the Kwangjuyo Group, nearly doubled its sales from 18 billion KRW in 2021 to 35.9 billion KRW last year. Lotte Chilsung Beverage also re-entered the distilled soju market after three years by launching a new product, ‘Yeoul’, in January.
HiteJinro plans to continuously generate buzz and strengthen marketing activities to establish a dominant position in the distilled soju market, just as it has in the diluted soju market. A HiteJinro official explained, “To enhance brand value and awareness, we are not only launching new products and appointing models but also strengthening sales by establishing and operating a dedicated Ilpoom Jinro team to expand sales nationwide.” The official added, “The most important factor is product quality. We will meet the diverse needs of consumers by emphasizing the unique characteristics of each product in the lineup, rather than simply categorizing them by alcohol content.”
Meanwhile, as HiteJinro celebrates its 100th anniversary this year and pursues the establishment of its first overseas factory, voices are emerging that securing a foothold in the domestic market this year is crucial to achieving global expansion goals. An industry insider said, “To expand sales channels beyond the limited domestic market to overseas markets, increasing volume in the domestic market is essential. Stable sales above a certain scale domestically are necessary to expand sales channels overseas and persuade consumers.”
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