Tera, Stay Still... OB Beer Completely Changes Everything to Secure No.1 Position

Full Renewal of Cass, 'All New Cass'
Introduction of Transparent Bottles and 72-Hour Cold Fermentation
Showcasing Non-Alcoholic and New Hanmac Products
Strengthening Market Leadership

HiteJinro's Terra Rapidly Chasing
120% Growth in Home Market
Chasing to Regain No.1 in Beer Market

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] OB Beer is launching an innovation to solidify its number one position in the beer market. Introducing the completely revamped "All New Cass," which features changes from product design to taste, the company plans to widen the gap with HiteJinro, the rapidly catching-up second place in the beer market.

'All New Cass' with Changed Design and Taste

On the 12th, OB Beer announced the launch of the All New Cass, a renewed version of Cass. The All New Cass incorporates changes not only in design but also in various elements that make up the beer product, such as raw materials and brewing methods. Sales will begin in Seoul and the metropolitan area from the end of March and will expand nationwide from mid-April.

OB Beer upgraded Cass by preserving the taste that has continued for decades while reflecting consumer trends. The new design of Cass introduces a transparent bottle. The All New Cass undergoes a 'quality stabilization' process involving 72 hours of cold maturation at 0 degrees Celsius, providing a fresh taste as if it was just brewed at the brewery.

One of the new innovations introduced for consumer satisfaction is the 'Cool Timer' using thermochromic ink. When the beer reaches the optimal temperature for the best taste, the hexagonal temperature sensor changes to a bright blue color and displays a white snowflake shape. At the same time, the word 'FRESH' changes to bright blue.

OB Beer: "Securing the Number One Position"

For the past decade, Cass has maintained an unwavering number one position with a market share of over 50%, but brand aging has been continuously pointed out. This is the background behind CEO Bae Hajun (Ben Barhart), who took office in January last year, initiating a full renewal. In June last year, CEO Bae changed Cass’s package design and launched the non-alcoholic beverage 'Cass 0.0' in October of the same year. Last month, he also introduced a new product called Hanmac under the name 'Korean Beer.' In addition, with the launch of the All New Cass, OB Beer has reorganized its brand.

CEO Bae said, "The All New Cass expresses OB Beer’s will and confidence to never settle for the number one spot and to pursue perfection through continuous innovation. Going forward, OB Beer and the Cass brand will continuously strive to satisfy rapidly changing consumer trends and demands."

HiteJinro’s Fierce Pursuit Led by Terra

The pursuit by second-place HiteJinro is also fierce. According to HiteJinro, thanks to the success of Terra last year, total beer sales increased by 12% compared to 2019, with Terra sales increasing by more than 105%, leading the overall growth. Terra recorded cumulative sales of 1.3 billion bottles as of the end of October last year, raising HiteJinro’s market share by nearly 10% within two years of its launch. Riding on Terra’s popularity, HiteJinro also succeeded in escaping the beer business deficit that had lasted for the past decade last year.

HiteJinro: "Regaining Number One with Terra"

Notably, Terra recorded a 120% growth rate in the home drinking market alongside the spread of home drinking culture. HiteJinro expects that with the stabilization of COVID-19 due to vaccine distribution and easing of social distancing this year, the growth of the beer sector, including Terra, will accelerate further as the liquor market recovers.

Kim In-gyu, CEO of HiteJinro, said, "Despite the difficulties everyone faced last year due to the variable of COVID-19, the entire beer sector grew led by Terra, and we are paying attention to the meaningful growth of over 78% in the entertainment market and over 120% in the home market by Terra. We will leverage the momentum of rapid expansion from the metropolitan and major commercial districts to local commercial districts and home markets to regain the number one position in the beer market this year as the market recovers."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.