HiteJinro starts brewing Kirin beer in Korea

What happened: HiteJinro said Monday it has begun brewing Kirin Ichiban Shibori in Korea under license, becoming the first independent importer in Asia to produce the beer locally. Key numbers: Initial run about 1.5 million liters, or 3 million 500-milliliter cans. Why it matters: Local brewing cuts customs time from about six weeks to one or two weeks, giving HiteJinro a stable supply and logistics savings for marketing. The CEO said the deal turns a distribution partnership into a strategic alliance on technology and quality.

HiteJinro said Monday it has begun brewing Kirin Ichiban Shibori in Korea under license, becoming the first independent importer in Asia to produce the beer locally.

Local brewing cuts customs time from about six weeks to one or two weeks, giving HiteJinro a stable supply and logistics savings for marketing. The CEO said the deal turns a distribution partnership into a strategic alliance on technology and quality.