Seoul: Hitejinro Co. announced that its flagship soju brand, Jinro, has been recognized as the world's best-selling spirit for the 24th consecutive year by the British drinks industry publication, Drinks International. In 2024, Hitejinro reported sales of 96.8 million cases of soju products globally.
According to Yonhap News Agency, if the bottles sold were placed end-to-end, they would circle the Earth approximately 13 times or reach the equivalent height of 57,000 Mount Everests. Despite changes in consumer preferences and a global market slowdown, Jinro's sales volume last year was more than double that of tequila, which is among the world's leading distilled spirits.
Hwang Jung-ho, managing director of Hitejinro's overseas business division, emphasized Jinro's achievement in maintaining its position as the top-selling spirit brand for 24 years. He stated that the company is committed to enhancing its localization strategies to integrate Jinro into the daily lives of consumers globally.
Hitejinro exports soju and other beverage products to 80 countries, with soju being sold internationally under the Jinro brand. The company derives about 10 percent of its total sales from overseas sales of soju, beer, and other alcoholic beverages, with soju accounting for 85 percent of its exports.
The company has set a target to achieve 500 billion won (US$365 million) in overseas soju sales by 2030, an increase from 153 billion won recorded in 2024.