HiteJinro

HiteJinro Co., Ltd. traces its roots to October 3, 1924, when Jincheon Brewing Company launched JINRO soju in Korea. The name JINRO blends "Jin" (meaning "real" and referencing the local area) with "Ro" ("dew," alluding to alcohol droplets during distillation). Over the decades, JINRO became Korea's best-selling soju, and by the 1960s and 1970s it held the largest market share in the country. Overseas expansion began in 1968 with exports to Vietnam, later reaching broader Asian and global markets.

In 2006, Hite Brewery Co., Ltd., a major Korean beer company, acquired JINRO, and the merged entity became HiteJinro Co., Ltd. Today, the company is headquartered in Seocho-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, and operates as a publicly listed firm on the Korea Exchange. Its flagship product, Chamisul (also marketed as JINRO), is recognized as the world's best-selling spirit by volume, a title it has held since around 2000. In 2022, JINRO sold 100 million cases worldwide, ranking first in Drinks International's "Millionaires' Club" in 2025.

Beyond soju, HiteJinro produces beer under the TERRA brand, which set a record by selling 100 million bottles within 100 days of its launch. The company also makes red wine, whiskey, and Soksu bottled water. Production facilities span Icheon, Cheongwon, and Masan, with the Masan plant geared toward exports. A distinctive feature of Chamisul bottles is a temperature-sensitive label shaped like an Asiatic toad, the company's mascot, which changes from white to blue when the soju is perfectly chilled. [edit]