Kwangdong Pharmaceutical Retains Samdasoo Distribution Rights... Four-Year Extension as Entrusted Distributor

Unified Entrustment Including Hypermarkets
Annual Sales Expected to Reach 400 Billion KRW

Kwangdong Pharmaceutical has once again been selected as the distribution partner for 'Jeju Samdasoo', the leading brand in South Korea's bottled water market. Having handled Samdasoo's distribution outside of Jeju Island since 2013, Kwangdong Pharmaceutical will now be exclusively responsible for nationwide distribution for the next four years, until 2029.

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corporation (hereafter Jeju Development Corporation) announced on the 30th that Kwangdong Pharmaceutical was selected as the preferred negotiation partner in the public bidding for 'Samdasoo Distribution Outside Jeju Island' held last month. The two parties will sign the final contract next month, and the new contract will be in effect from January 2026 to December 2029.

Samdasoo holds a 40% market share, making it the number one brand in the domestic bottled water market. The entrusted distribution scope covers all regions except Jeju, including nationwide hypermarkets, convenience stores, and online channels. Previously, Jeju Development Corporation directly managed hypermarkets, super supermarkets (SSMs), and exports, but starting next year, all these channels will also be entrusted to the distribution partner.

As a result, Kwangdong Pharmaceutical is expected to secure annual sales of approximately 400 billion KRW. Last year, Kwangdong Pharmaceutical's Samdasoo distribution sales amounted to 319.7 billion KRW, accounting for 32.8% of its total sales of 974.8 billion KRW. Kwangdong Pharmaceutical's Samdasoo sales more than doubled, rising from 125.7 billion KRW in 2013 to 319.7 billion KRW last year.

This bidding process accepted applications from the 5th of last month to the 24th of this month, and the preferred negotiation partner was determined through proposal evaluations on the 29th. A total of 11 companies participated, including Kwangdong Pharmaceutical, Dongwha Pharm, Pulmuone Foods, Woongjin Foods, Ilhwa, Samyang Foods, and Binggrae. The competition was intense, with many companies owning their own bottled water brands, such as Woongjin Foods (Gaya G Water), Ilhwa (Gwangcheon Water), and Pulmuone Foods (Pulmuone Bottled Water).

Kwangdong Pharmaceutical was reportedly recognized for its competitiveness in pricing policy, logistics efficiency, and online channel strengthening strategies. However, Jeju Development Corporation did not disclose specific evaluation scores or criteria.

Meanwhile, since its launch in 1998, Samdasoo has consistently maintained its position as the top brand in the domestic bottled water market. As of last year, its production volume was 955,328 tons, and upon completion of the production line expansion in 2028, annual supply is expected to increase to 1.2 million tons. Currently, the bottled water market is led by Samdasoo (40% market share), with Lotte Chilsung Beverage's 'Icis' (13%) and Nongshim's 'Baeksansu' (8%) also competing.