- Business
- Hitejinro Holdings Co., Ltd. is a South Korean multinational company primarily engaged in the manufacture and distribution of alcoholic beverages, including soju, beer, whiskey, and wine. Its main product portfolio comprises the world's leading soju brands such as Chamisul, Jinro 24, and flavored sojus; a range of beers including Hite, Terra, Max, and Queen's Ale; whiskey brands Kingdom and Cutty Sark; and wines primarily marketed under the Hitejinro label. It also produces bottled water under the Seoksu brand. Founded in 1924 and headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Hitejinro operates distilleries and manufacturing facilities domestically in Icheon, Cheongwon, and Masan, with the Masan plant focused on exports, and is actively expanding its global footprint with production facilities currently being established overseas, including a $77 million soju plant in Vietnam aimed at Southeast Asian markets and plans for future manufacturing bases in the U.S. and Europe. Recently, Hitejinro has diversified beyond beverages by acquiring BNB Korea, a major Korean original design manufacturing (ODM) cosmetics company, marking a strategic entry into the global beauty market to leverage R&D capabilities and tap into the growing K-beauty sector, while also signing new trust contracts to acquire treasury stocks for share stabilization and acquiring prime real estate in Seoul’s Gangnam district. Its international expansion is supported by increasing export sales, with soju accounting for the majority of its liquor exports, and its strategic marketing efforts in markets such as the UK, Russia, China, and the U.S. reflect its ambition to grow its presence as a global alcoholic beverage leader.