HiteJinro announced on Aug. 22 that it is launching aggressive marketing activities, including sponsoring a major U.K. music festival and collaborating with franchised restaurants, to spur growth in the European market, where soju sales are booming.
HiteJinro's soju exports to the U.K. have been increasing year on year, with an average annual growth rate of about 42% over the past four years. This year's export volume is accelerating, with 43% year-on-year growth in the first half of the year and 63% growth in 2022 compared to 2021.
In addition, JINRO is spreading among local consumers, with the proportion of sales to locals reaching 77% in 2022, according to HiteJinro's UK local trading ship data.
HiteJinro is the official sponsor of "ALL POINT EAST FESTIVAL (APEF)", a large-scale music festival held in London's Victoria Park for 10 days from August 18 to August 27.
First held in 2018, APEF is a representative music festival that has exploded in popularity among young people in the UK, with 63% of this year's 230,000 visitors counted as Generation MZ.
HiteJinro will operate a booth dedicated to JINRO and showcase its products to consumers at 10 bars in the venue. Through various events such as photo zones and giveaways, the company plans to increase brand experience opportunities for locals and raise the profile of Korean soju in the global market.
