"Will Become a Top Company"... OB Beer Completely Revamps to Solidify Its No.1 Position (Comprehensive)

Full Renewal of Cass, 'All New Cass'
Introduction of Transparent Bottles & 72-Hour Cold Maturation
OB Beer Moves to Solidify Leadership

HiteJinro Terra's Fierce Pursuit
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 ‘All New Cass,’ which features changes from product design to taste, the company plans to widen the gap with Hite Jinro, the rapidly catching-up second place in the beer market.

'All New Cass' with Changed Design and Taste

On the 12th, OB Beer held a press conference to unveil the renewed Cass, the All New 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 through 72 hours of cold maturation at 0 degrees Celsius, providing a fresh taste as if 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, a hexagonal temperature sensor changes to a bright blue color and a white snowflake shape appears. At the same time, the word ‘FRESH’ changes to bright blue.

Kim Jong-ho, OB Beer Brewmaster (head brewer), responded to a reporter’s question about concerns over product quality management due to the introduction of transparent bottles by saying, "Changing the bottle does not cause any quality issues at all," and added, "OB Beer’s Capri, which has been loved for a long time, also uses transparent bottles, so we are confident in product management."

OB Beer "Securing Number One"

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 for CEO Bae Ha-jun (Ben Barhart), who took office in January last year, to undertake 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, a new product called Hanmaek, meaning ‘Korean Beer,’ was also introduced. In addition, with the launch of the All New Cass, OB Beer restructured its brand.

At the press conference, CEO Bae emphasized, "For the past 27 years, OB Beer has provided consumers with a unique and high-quality refreshing beer experience while reflecting the times," and added, "As Korea’s number one company, OB Beer will maintain its position for the next 10 years and embark on a new journey by continuously reflecting the voices of good quality and good generations."

He continued, "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," and said, "OB Beer and the Cass brand will continue to strive tirelessly to satisfy rapidly changing consumer trends and demands."

Hite Jinro’s Fierce Pursuit Led by Terra

The pursuit by second-place Hite Jinro is also fierce. According to Hite Jinro, 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 Hite Jinro’s market share by nearly 10% within two years of its launch. Riding on Terra’s popularity, Hite Jinro also succeeded in escaping the beer business deficit that had lasted for the past decade last year.

Hite Jinro "Regain Number One with Terra"

Notably, Terra’s 120% growth rate in the home drinking market, along with the spread of home drinking culture, is remarkable. Hite Jinro expects that with the stabilization of COVID-19 through 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 Hite Jinro, said, "Despite everyone facing difficulties due to the variable of COVID-19 last year, the entire beer sector grew led by Terra, and among them, Terra achieved meaningful growth of over 78% in the entertainment market and over 120% in the home market," adding, "We will leverage the momentum of rapid expansion from the metropolitan and major commercial districts to local commercial districts and the home market 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.