Takes Top Prize (Sustainability Category)
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corporation’s bottled-water brand, Jeju Samdasu, snagged the top rating at an international taste evaluation for the ninth year in a row. That streak not only proves its exceptional quality but also highlights the brand’s commitment to sustainability—think eco-friendly packaging and smarter logistics. After roughly 28 years as South Korea’s best-selling bottled water, Jeju Samdasu is reinforcing its lead with an ESG-driven growth strategy.
At the 2026 International Taste & Quality evaluation, Jeju Samdasu took home the International Taste Excellence award with a 3-star top rating—its ninth consecutive year at the highest level. The International Taste Institute (ITI), a respected panel of about 200 tasting experts from more than 20 European countries, awards its top rating only to products that score 90 or above across five categories: first impression, appearance, aroma, taste, and finish.
Launched in 1998, Jeju Samdasu has captured roughly 40% of South Korea’s bottled-water market. It stands out because it’s drawn from a single volcanic bedrock source on Hallasan. Rainwater that soaks into areas above 1,450 m (about 4,757 ft) naturally filters through basalt and volcanic pumice layers, producing water with a balanced mineral profile—calcium, potassium, vanadium, and silica among them.
The brand has also stepped up source protection and quality control: 62 groundwater-level monitoring stations surround the water source and feed real-time data to ensure purity and consistency.
