South Korea: Oriental Brewery to introduce an ale brand early in 2014

Oriental Brewery (OB), the nation’s leading beer maker, plans to introduce an ale beer brand around January, intensifying competition in the local beer market, Korea Times reported on December 8.

The move came a couple of months after Hite Jinro, Korea’s largest liquor maker, unveiled the first ale beer called Queen’s Ale here in September.

According to industry sources, OB has finished making its contents for the ale beer and started designing the package.

The ale beer market has great growth potential as it currently accounts for only 1 percent of the total beer market here.

OB’s decision came as part of efforts to sustain growth after the decline of its sales due to the rising number of various imported beers.

Lotte Liquor, Lotte’s liquor affiliate mainly making soju and fruit wines, recently jumped into the beer market. The firm is expected to unveil its first beer in January.

11 December, 2013