{
  "id": 1844522,
  "title": "HiteJinro Expands JINRO’s U.S. Presence With Korean Chicken-and-Soju Marketing",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/hitejinro-expands-jinros-u-s-presence-with-korean-chicken-and-soju",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-19T01:52:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Korea IT Times",
    "slug": "korea-it-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreaittimes.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=156254"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "HiteJinro is ramping up its strategy to boost JINRO's footprint in the United States by pairing the brand with Korean fried chicken and a popular fermented rice spirit called soju, known as \"chimaek.\" The company took part as the title sponsor of the JINRO Chimaek Fest, a three-day event held from August 14 to 16 at Great Park Live in Irvine, California. About 30,000 attendees turned out, marking a 50% jump from the previous year's roughly 20,000 visitors. HiteJinro was the only liquor company to return for the second year in a row. The festival aimed to introduce Korean food, culture, and beauty to American consumers. This year, other participants included Pelicana, Kyochon F&B, Nongshim, and Dongwon F&B.\n\nHiteJinro stepped up its game at the festival with a larger booth, featuring Chamisul Fresh, a line of fruit-flavored soju offerings, and Terra beer. Visitors had the chance to taste and buy these products, with a limited selection of JINRO's signature toad-shaped glasses available for purchase. The company also unveiled a soju-and-beer \"somaek\" tower, designed to give consumers a hands-on experience with Korean drinking culture. Activities included guessing the flavors of fruit-infused soju, ring toss games, beer pong with a soju twist, and a \"somaek certification\" challenge. Food pairing sessions showcased the combination of Korean fried chicken and fruit-flavored soju, highlighting the chimaek concept.\n\nThe surge in JINRO's U.S. market presence is further fueled by the increasing demand for fruit-flavored soju. HiteJinro's exports of these products to the U.S. have grown at an average annual rate of approximately 25% from 2020 to 2025. The company is aiming to attract a wider consumer base beyond the Korean-American community, using fruit-flavored soju and localized experiences to introduce the category to American consumers.",
  "summary": "HiteJinro is accelerating its efforts to expand the JINRO brand in the U.S. by combining Korean fried chicken with soju, a pairing widely known as “chimaek.”The company said it participated as the title sponsor of the JINRO Chimaek Fest, held from Aug. 14 to 16 at Great Park Live in Irvine, Californ",
  "key_points": [
    "HiteJinro partners JINRO with Korean fried chicken and soju for U.S. expansion.",
    "JINRO Chimaek Fest attracts 30,000 attendees, a 50% increase from last year.",
    "Fruit-flavored soju exports to U.S. grow 25% annually from 2020-2025."
  ],
  "editors_take": "HiteJinro's expanded marketing efforts in the US, pairing JINRO with Korean fried chicken and soju, signal a deeper push to attract a broader American consumer base beyond the Korean-American community.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}