HiteJinro to produce Kirin Ichiban Shibori beer in South Korea

HiteJinro has announced it will begin domestic production of Kirin Ichiban Shibori beer at its Jeonju plant in South Korea. This marks the first time in Asia that Kirin Brewery has granted a production license to an independent importer without a capital relationship.

The partnership, which began with the import of bottled beer in 2004, has expanded from distribution to manufacturing. To ensure quality consistency, Kirin provided its proprietary yeast and specific brewing techniques. Japanese engineers participated in setting up the production lines, and the process underwent rigorous testing, including sensory evaluations in Japan, to meet Kirin’s strict standards.

Local production aims to stabilize supply and improve freshness. While importing beer from Japan typically takes approximately six weeks due to customs and logistics, domestic production is expected to reduce this timeframe to one or two weeks. HiteJinro plans an initial production run of 1.5 million liters (approximately 3 million 500ml cans) and aims to produce 75 percent of its total Kirin sales volume locally by next year. The company intends to reinvest logistics savings into marketing and promotions.