[Comprehensive Award] Creating a Clear and Clean World... Lotte Chilsung Beverage

2025 Asia Consumer Awards
Food and Drug Safety Commissioner Award

Editor's NoteAsia Economy awarded the ‘2025 Asia Consumer Awards’ to distribution and food companies and brands that received consumers' love last year. Now in its 19th year, the Asia Consumer Awards selects distribution companies that strive for consumer rights and convenience, and lead the development of the distribution consumer goods industry and trends of the era.

Lotte Chilsung Beverage received the Food and Drug Safety Commissioner Award at the 2025 Asia Consumer Awards. It earned high marks for setting and practicing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to realize its vision of 'creating a clear and clean world.' It was also recognized for contributing to raising awareness of domestic alcoholic beverages and food products with zero-sugar soju 'Saero,' which, unlike existing soju products, does not use fructose.

Lotte Chilsung Beverage ESG Slogan. Provided by Lotte Chilsung Beverage

Lotte Chilsung Beverage has long established itself as a representative beverage and alcoholic beverage company in South Korea. Recently, it has been developing various activities by making 'sustainability' capabilities based on ESG management a core corporate strategy. In particular, in October last year, it introduced 'Ultra-light Isis,' a bottled water product applying nitrogen charging technology for the first time in Korea, reducing the weight of the 500ml PET bottle from the existing 11.6g to 9.4g, an 18.9% weight reduction. Compared to the 22g container weight at the time of Isis's launch in 1997, this is about a 57% decrease. Lotte Chilsung Beverage expects to reduce 127 tons of plastic annually through the introduction of this ultra-light package.

In November last year, Lotte Chilsung Beverage also became the first in the domestic food industry to receive approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for short-term greenhouse gas reduction targets and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goals. SBTi is an initiative that provides guidelines and methodologies based on climate science to help companies set science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets and strengthen climate action. Lotte Chilsung Beverage plans to reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1) and indirect greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 2) by half by 2030 compared to current levels by applying an absolute reduction methodology. Additionally, it will systematically calculate and manage other indirect greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 3) and achieve carbon neutrality in all processes by 2050.

Employees at Lotte Chilsung Beverage Anseong Plant are taking a commemorative photo after assembling support kits for vulnerable female adolescents. Photo by Lotte Chilsung Beverage

Lotte Chilsung Beverage also practices sharing with marginalized neighbors. Rather than one-time monetary donations, it supports recipients with substantial resources and self-reliance through sustainable and sincere programs. Representative activities include ▲donations such as scholarships to the Leukemia Children's Foundation ▲support for wildfire victims ▲support for veterans ▲donations to the Kansong Art Foundation ▲support for hygiene products for vulnerable girls. Beyond this, Lotte Chilsung Beverage fulfills its role as a necessary partner for future society and practices mutual growth together with local communities, customers, and partners.

‘Saero,’ the zero-sugar soju first introduced by Lotte Chilsung Beverage in September 2022, has established itself as a new trend in the domestic soju market. Within about four months after its launch, cumulative sales exceeded 50 million bottles, and within about seven months, cumulative sales surpassed 100 million bottles. Saero's upward trend continued in 2023, reaching annual sales of 100 billion KRW, entering the ranks of mega brands. From mid-April this year, the product lineup expanded with the new ‘Saero Apricot,’ which contains real apricot juice. As a result, by the end of July last year, just before its second anniversary, cumulative sales exceeded 400 million bottles, earning it recognition as the representative zero-sugar soju brand.

Images of Lotte Chilsung Beverage's zero-sugar soju 'Saero' and 'Saero Salgu'. Provided by Lotte Chilsung Beverage.

Lotte Chilsung Beverage Chungju Plant 1 exterior. Provided by Lotte Chilsung Beverage