HiteJinro Enters UK Home Channel... "Strengthening Localization Strategy"

Local Major Supermarket 'Sainsbury' and Others Stock Fruit Liqueur

HiteJinro has expanded its online soju sales and partnerships with major distribution channels in the UK.

HiteJinro products displayed at the Sainsbury's store, a British supermarket chain.

On the 28th, HiteJinro announced that it is strengthening its local market presence by launching two types of fruit liqueurs in 88 stores of the UK supermarket chain ‘Sainsbury’s’ as well as on the online malls ‘Sainsbury’s Online’ and ‘Ocado’.

Sainsbury’s is the second largest supermarket chain in the UK, operating 1,400 stores and holding a 15.2% market share in the UK as of last year. HiteJinro plans to accelerate localization in the UK home market by introducing JINRO products through Sainsbury’s and its online channels.

HiteJinro’s soju exports to the UK have grown at an average annual rate of about 73% over the past three years, increasing year by year. In particular, based on shipment data from HiteJinro’s UK local distributors, the proportion of sales to local consumers reached 77% in 2022. HiteJinro’s brand awareness is spreading among local consumers as the company actively engages in marketing activities such as sponsoring major UK music festivals and collaborating with local dining franchises.

To target the UK home channel, HiteJinro is selling 6-bottle packages of its most popular fruit liqueurs locally, ‘Cheongpodo Aiseul’ (Green Grape Aiseul) and ‘Boksunga Aiseul’ (Peach Aiseul), in 88 Sainsbury’s stores. Additionally, starting in November, the company expanded its sales channels online by listing 20-bottle packages of the two fruit liqueurs on Sainsbury’s Online and the large UK online mall Ocado to accelerate sales.

Hwang Jeong-ho, Executive Vice President of HiteJinro’s Overseas Business Division, said, “The recent rapid growth of the European market, which was relatively small in the past, and the expansion of consumption centered on local consumers is a meaningful step closer to the globalization of soju. We will continue to strengthen both online and offline channels and actively carry out various brand promotion activities in entertainment channels as well.”

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