Shin Dong-bin: "We Will Create a Beneficial Future with Challenge and Passion"

2023 Lotte Awards Held
6 Teams Awarded for Contributing to Lotte Brand Value Increase
Lotte Chilsung Beverage Wins Grand Prize for Leading 'Saero' Success

"The challenge and passion shown by all employees will create a 'Beneficial Future.'

Shin Dong-bin, Chairman of Lotte, encouraged employees at the '2023 Lotte Awards' held on the 21st at Signiel Seoul in Songpa-gu, Seoul, saying, "Over the past year, we experienced many changes and sometimes difficulties, but through innovative challenges, we discovered new markets and created differentiated brand value."

The Lotte Awards is an event that recognizes organizations contributing to activities that improve customers' lives, such as pioneering new markets, strengthening research and development (R&D) and process improvements, and co-growth with partner companies. This year's grand prize went to the Soju BM Team of Lotte Chilsung Beverage, which introduced the soju brand 'Saero.' Lotte Chilsung Beverage was highly praised for leading the zero-sugar soju market and successfully establishing the product.

Shin Dong-bin, Chairman of Lotte (fifth from the left), and the Soju BM Team of Lotte Chilsung Beverage, who received the Grand Prize this year, are taking a commemorative photo at the '2023 Lotte Awards' held on the 21st at Signiel Seoul in Songpa-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Lotte Holdings].

To bring change to the monopolistic soju market and create new growth momentum, Lotte Chilsung Beverage adopted a strategy of "changing everything except the popular price and the soju main ingredient" and embarked on new product development. Targeting the MZ generation, Lotte Chilsung Beverage developed the recipe emphasizing the zero-sugar keyword and launched Saero last year after eight rounds of consumer testing over eight months. Saero received positive reviews such as "the alcohol's distinctive aroma is milder, making it easier to drink," and within one month of its launch, it gained consumer word-of-mouth, selling 6.8 million bottles. By the end of last year, sales reached 35 million bottles, and as of mid-April, it surpassed 100 million bottles, six months ahead of the initial plan.

The Excellence Awards were given to teams from Lotte Mart, Lotte Wellfood, Lotte Homeshopping, Lotte Chemical, and Lotte Property & Development. The Lotte Mart Bottle Bunker Team, awarded in the sales and marketing category, opened the specialized liquor store Bottle Bunker, breaking the stereotype that "marts sell cheap wine" and pioneering the wine curation market. Lotte Wellfood’s New Business Strategy Team was highly evaluated for applying the zero trend to confectionery products and expanding the sugar-free dessert market. Lotte Homeshopping’s Character Team was recognized not only for attempting character marketing, which is rare in the home shopping industry, but also for successfully leading the public exhibition of 'Amazing Belly Bear,' expanding Lotte Homeshopping’s capabilities as a media commerce company. Lotte Chemical’s Hydrogen Tank Team won in the R&D category for successfully developing hydrogen tanks with proprietary technology, and Lotte Property & Development’s Mall Technology and Marketing Teams were awarded in the co-growth and mutual development category for improving the water quality of Seokchon Lake and enhancing regional co-prosperity synergy.

The grand prize and excellence award-winning teams received prize money of 50 million KRW and 30 million KRW respectively, along with trophies. The awards ceremony was held simultaneously online and offline, attended by about 100 people including members of the winning teams.

Meanwhile, this year’s Lotte Awards received 103 activity cases from 34 affiliates. A panel of internal and external experts selected six teams in the sales and marketing, R&D, and co-growth and mutual development categories through three rounds of evaluation, including document screening and presentations.

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