Lotte is one of Asia’s largest and most diversified multinational business groups. Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, with significant operations in Japan, the group spans industries including food and beverages, retail, hotels, tourism, chemicals, construction, entertainment, finance, and e-commerce. Internationally, Lotte is particularly recognised for its confectionery products, department stores, hotel chains, and the iconic Lotte World Tower.

• Company Name: Lotte Group
• Founded: 1948 (Japan)
• Founder: Shin Kyuk-ho (also known as Takeo Shigemitsu in Japan)
• Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea (Group); Tokyo, Japan (Japan operations)
• Industry: Conglomerate (Chaebol)
• Employees: Approximately 160,000 globally
• Operations: Around 35 countries and regions
• Core Businesses: Food, retail, hotels, chemicals, construction, finance, entertainment, logistics, and biotechnology 1

Lotte was established in Tokyo, Japan, in 1948, shortly after the Second World War. The company’s inaugural product was chewing gum, which rapidly gained popularity in the Japanese market.

The name “Lotte” is derived from Charlotte (“Lotte”), a character in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s novel The Sorrows of Young Werther. Founder Shin Kyuk-ho admired the work and selected the name for his enterprise 2.

Following the normalisation of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan in the 1960s, Shin expanded operations into South Korea by establishing Lotte Confectionery in 1967. This entity laid the foundation for what would become one of South Korea’s largest conglomerates 3.

Over subsequent decades, Lotte diversified rapidly into food manufacturing, department stores, hotels, theme parks, chemicals, construction, financial services, shopping malls, e-commerce, cinema chains, and biotechnology. Today, Lotte is regarded as one of South Korea’s major family-owned business groups, or chaebols 4.

Food & Beverage

The food division remains Lotte’s most prominent business segment. Major product categories include chocolate, biscuits, candy, chewing gum, ice cream, beverages, dairy products, instant foods, and coffee.

Well-known brands comprise Pepero, Ghana Chocolate, Xylitol Gum, Choco Pie (regional), Crunky, Koala’s March, and the Lotteria fast-food chain. Lotte products are distributed across Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East 5.

Retail

Lotte operates one of Asia’s largest retail networks, encompassing department stores, hypermarkets, duty-free outlets, shopping malls, supermarkets, convenience stores, and online shopping platforms. The retail division serves millions of customers annually.

Hotels & Tourism

The group maintains an extensive hospitality portfolio featuring luxury hotels, business hotels, resorts, duty-free shopping facilities, and convention centres. Flagship brands include Lotte Hotel and Lotte City Hotel, with properties located across Asia and beyond 6.

Entertainment

Lotte has invested significantly in leisure and entertainment sectors. Key businesses include Lotte World, theme parks, aquariums, observation decks, movie theatres, and concert venues. The company operates one of Korea’s largest cinema chains alongside major family attractions.

Chemicals

Lotte Chemical ranks among Asia’s largest petrochemical companies. Its product range includes plastics, industrial chemicals, packaging materials, advanced materials, and battery materials, serving industries such as automotive, electronics, and construction.

Construction

Lotte Engineering & Construction develops skyscrapers, residential apartments, commercial buildings, infrastructure, and overseas construction projects. Its most notable achievement is the Lotte World Tower, which stands as one of the world’s tallest buildings.

Finance

The group’s financial services arm offers credit cards, insurance, capital financing, and investment services.

E-commerce & Technology

Lotte has expanded into online retail, digital payments, artificial intelligence, smart logistics, digital transformation, and biotechnology.

Lotte operates in approximately 35 countries and regions, including South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, the United States, India, Kazakhstan, Russia, and China (historically significant operations). The company continues to expand throughout Asia and selected international markets 7.

Some of Lotte’s most recognisable brands include:

• Pepero
• Ghana Chocolate
• Xylitol Gum
• Koala’s March
• Crunky
• Lotteria
• Lotte Hotel
• Lotte Department Store
• Lotte Duty Free
• Lotte Cinema
• Lotte World
• Lotte Mart
• Lotte Chemical

• 1948 – Founded in Tokyo as a chewing gum manufacturer.
• 1967 – Established Lotte Confectionery in South Korea.
• 1970s – Expanded into beverages, hotels, retail, and chemicals.
• 1980s – Entered tourism, entertainment, and advanced manufacturing.
• 1990s – Launched logistics, e-commerce, and cinema businesses.
• 2000s – Expanded internationally through acquisitions and new ventures.
• 2017 – Opened the Lotte World Tower and celebrated the group’s 50th anniversary in South Korea 8.

Lotte’s vision emphasises improving quality of life through innovation and responsible business practices. The group’s core values focus on customer satisfaction, innovation, integrity, sustainable growth, social responsibility, and global competitiveness. These principles guide operations across its diverse industry portfolio 9.

Lotte has increased investment in carbon reduction, renewable energy, circular economy initiatives, sustainable packaging, environmental management, human rights, ethical governance, and AI ethics. The company publishes environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reports and has adopted policies supporting responsible business practices 10.

• Lotte began as a chewing gum company before evolving into a multinational conglomerate.
• The brand name originates from Charlotte (“Lotte”), a character in Goethe’s The Sorrows of Young Werther 11.
• Lotte operates one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, the Lotte World Tower.
• It is among South Korea’s largest family-controlled conglomerates, spanning industries from confectionery to petrochemicals and hospitality.
• Its products and services reach customers in dozens of countries across Asia and beyond 12.

Lotte is a diversified multinational conglomerate that grew from a small Japanese chewing gum company founded in 1948 into one of Asia’s most influential business groups. With major operations in food, retail, hospitality, entertainment, chemicals, construction, finance, and technology, Lotte serves millions of customers worldwide and maintains a significant presence across approximately 35 countries and regions. Its combination of consumer brands, large-scale infrastructure, and international expansion has made it one of the best-known corporate groups in South Korea and a prominent name throughout Asia.

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8. 역사관 | About LOTTE | 롯데
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