Business · Companies · 4 hrs ago
South Korean soju brand Saero passes 1.3 billion bottles sold
Lotte Chilsung's Saero soju passed 1.3 billion bottles sold by October, about four years after its launch in South Korea.
The company says that amounts to an average of about 840,000 bottles a day over 50 months.
Saero is a zero-sugar soju, made without fructose and promoted as having a light, smooth taste.
Its sales show how the brand has grown in a market where it stood out with its zero-sugar approach and nutrition labelling.
Character-led marketing helped build its audience, alongside online videos and an escape-room-style pop-up in Seoul.
The company has also added three fruit flavours and smaller packaging.
Lotte Chilsung plans more marketing over winter, a busy season for soju sales, and says it aims to keep shaping market trends.
South Korean soju brand Saero surpassed 1.3 billion bottles in cumulative sales by October 2026, according to its maker, Lotte Chilsung Beverage.
The zero-sugar soju was launched in September 2022.
Across its first 50 months, it sold an average of about 840,000 bottles a day.
Lotte Chilsung attributed the brand’s growth to its zero-sugar concept, character-led marketing and expanded product range.
The company said it plans to continue marketing the brand during the winter soju season.
- Who
- Saero, a soju brand made by Lotte Chilsung Beverage.
- What
- It passed 1.3 billion bottles in cumulative sales.
- When
- By October 2026, about four years after its launch in September 2022.
- Where
- South Korea. The article also describes a pop-up store in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong.
- Why
- The company points to its zero-sugar concept, character-led marketing and expanded flavors and packaging.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Lotte Chilsung Beverage launched Saero.
Saero passed 50 million bottles in cumulative sales.
Saero passed 100 million bottles in cumulative sales.
Saero passed 700 million bottles in cumulative sales.
Saero passed 1.3 billion bottles in cumulative sales.
- Cumulative sales
- More than 1.3 billion bottles by October 2026
- Bottle size used for sales count
- 360 millilitres
- Average daily sales
- About 840,000 bottles over 50 months
- Brand launch
- September 2022
- Pop-up store visitors
- About 13,000 at the Seongsu-dong event in Seoul
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What people are saying
We thank consumers for their unwavering support since the launch.
As we enter the winter season, a peak period for soju, we will widely promote our unique world extending even to the afterlife and carry out diverse marketing to continue leading market trends.