OB adds premium product to Cass brand

Oriental Brewery, South Korea’s largest beer manufacturer, said Thursday that it was adding a new premium line to its flagship brand Cass, in an effort to appeal to young trend-leading consumers.

Since it was taken over by Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev last year, the company has actively been expanding its product portfolio, but this is the first time that it launched a Cass-affiliated product.

In a press conference Thursday, OB said that it is to launch Cass Beats, a premium beer that targets young consumers.

“As the No. 1 beer company here, we already have a wide enough variety of products, but we wanted to diversify and provide more options to customers,” CEO Kim Do-hun told reporters.

The product’s design, marked for its asymmetrical curved contour and the cobalt blue color, has been inspired by the dynamic beat of electronic dance music and the heat of club parties, according to officials.

The easy-to-grip shape and the twist cap make the product more convenient for party occasions.

Another feature of Cass Beats is its alcohol content of 5.8 percent, which is higher than the 4-5 percent average of conventional beers, including Cass Fresh.

“Our target consumers prefer to enjoy the taste of beer and the fun of the party, without getting full,” said OB’s chief marketing officer Alex Song,

In order to level up the alcohol content, without adding too much bitterness, the beer manufacturer used a brewing technology that would maximize the fermentation of malt sugar, he explained.

“Young trend leaders place priority on unique experiences, which is why they want more than the product itself when they act as consumers,” Song said.

Since November last year, OB has been holding a series of cultural campaigns such as club parties and electronic dance music festivals, as to pave the way for its incoming new product.

“Cass is undoubtedly the No. 1 beer brand in Korea, but it now needs to expand its horizon and embrace the changing needs of the younger generation,” the CMO said.

Cass Beats will be available from the end of July and its selling price at retail stores will be 1,900 won ($1.60) for a 350-millileter bottle.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)