OB’s Cass retains top post as bestselling beer for 12 years

Poster for Oriental Brewery's flagship beer brand Cass (Oriental Brewery)

Oriental Brewery's flagship beer brand Cass has once again secured the top spot in the domestic beer market with a market share of 42 percent this year, despite renewed competition at home after the COVID-19 pandemic, said the country's largest beer maker Tuesday.

According to market research firm Nielsen Korea, Cass logged the largest market share of 42 percent in terms of retail sales during the January to November period this year.

The figure also marks a 0.7 percentage point rise compared to last year, when it ranked at the top with a 41.3 percent market share. Despite the rising popularity of Japanese beers at home and intensifying competition with its rivals this year, the beer maker managed to expand its market share, it added.

In the overall beer market which includes both off-trade and on-trade markets that encompass premises including bars, restaurants and pubs, it logged nearly 50 percent market share.

With the results, Cass has maintained its position as the No.1 beer brand in the domestic beer industry for 12 consecutive years since 2012.

"Cass has achieved growth, solidifying its lead thanks to the love and support from consumers despite intense competition in the beer market this year,” an OB official stated, adding, “Going forward, we will continue to lead the beer market by delivering joy to consumers through product innovations and differentiated marketing activities."

The beer maker attributed the upbeat results to its large-scale consumer-centric marketing efforts this year.

During the summer, it released a limited edition product called "Cass Lemon Squeeze," while also launching the CassCool Campaign by operating a pop-up store in Hongdae district and organizing an outdoor musical festival.

The pop-up stores, which ran for two months, attracted over 60,000 visitors. Meanwhile, its outdoor music concert CassCool Festival saw over 10,000 visitors, it added.

Additionally, in terms of manufacturer rankings, OB claimed the top spot with a leading share of 52.6 percent.