Beer War Lightens Up

The beer war between OB and Hite beers is about to enter a new area of competition, Light Beer:

South Korea’s second largest brewer Oriental Brewery Co. has launched a lower-alcohol beer in an attempt to increase its market share in the lucrative Korean beer market.

According to local reports, Oriental’s new product will hit the shelves at 4.2% abv, well below the alcohol level of 4.5% that is the norm for beer in the country.

Currently, Oriental Brewery Co has 40% of the market, while its big competitor Hite has the remaining 60%, and Oriental sees its new product as offering an unusual point of difference. But the country’s market leader seems unlikely to follow the lower-alcohol route.

“Lowering the [alcohol] level is meaningless,” said an official at Hite. “We do not plan to develop a new product with a low alcohol content.”

I have to agree with Hite that I really don’t think less alcohol in beer will encourage more Koreans to drink your beer.  People in Korea drink to get smashed and light beer doesn’t help in that endeavor.  Though “Hite Lite” does have a ring to it.