HiteJinro announced on November 28 that it has entered 88 stores of the UK supermarket Sainsbury's, as well as online malls Sainsbury's Online and Ocado, to strengthen its local market penetration.
Sainsbury's is the second largest UK supermarket chain, operating 1,400 stores and holding a 15.2% market share in the UK as of 2022. HiteJinro's strategy is to place JINRO products in Sainsbury's stores and online channels, further accelerating its localization in the UK through the home market.
HiteJinro's shochu exports to the UK have been increasing year on year, with an average annual growth rate of approximately 73% over the past three years.
In particular, the proportion of sales to locals was 77% in 2022, according to HiteJinro's UK local trading ship data.
HiteJinro has been actively engaged in marketing activities to raise brand awareness in the UK market, such as officially sponsoring a major UK music festival and collaborating with local food franchises, and JINRO is spreading among local consumers.
To target the UK home channel, HiteJinro will sell packages of Jinro Green Grape and Jinro Peach, two of the most popular local fruit liqueurs, in 88 Sainsbury's stores.
In addition, since November, HiteJinro has also expanded its channels to online and is selling 20-packs of two Fruit Liqueurs on Sainsbury's online and Ocado, a large online mall in the UK, to accelerate sales.
