BIONEER CORPORATION

AceBiome Opens Brand Store on Douyin, Accelerating Expansion into the Greater China Market

- Launch of BNRThin Overseas Flagship Store

-  Plans for Integrated Short-Form Content and Live Commerce Sales 

On January 3, Bioneer announced that its subsidiary, AceBiome, has launched an overseas flagship store for BNRThin on Douyin, China's leading short-form video platform and TikTok equivalent. This move aims to strengthen connections with consumers in the Greater China market.

AceBiome has been meticulously preparing for this expansion, recognizing the high growth potential of the Chinese market. In August of last year, the company opened a flagship store on Xiaohongshu to build brand awareness. Now, leveraging Douyin's unique marketing capabilities, it is taking a differentiated approach to conquer the market.

Douyin, with a staggering 680 million monthly active users, is a massive social platform that generates significant sales in various categories such as fashion, beauty, and food through live commerce. It has become a critical channel for engaging Millennials and Gen Z, who are well-versed in social platforms and exhibit growing interest in health and wellness. Demand for inner beauty and functional health products continues to rise among these demographics.

AceBiome plans to actively utilize Douyin's short-form content and live commerce features to strengthen its brand presence. Through collaborations with influencers (known as Wanghong), the company aims to effectively convey the core value of its products while fostering empathy through authentic storytelling, ultimately driving real purchases.

Given that China has the largest population of obese individuals globally, the related market is expected to see sustained growth. AceBiome intends to leverage Douyin to expand its sales in Greater China, boosting both revenue and profitability. According to the Korea International Trade Association (KOTRA), China's probiotics market is projected to grow from approximately $13.68 billion USD in 2022 to $19.0 billion USD by 2025.

The primary ingredient in BNRThin, Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17, is the result of over 20 years of research and development by Bioneer. It is the first probiotic in Korea to be recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) for its fat-reducing functionality and its potential benefits for gut health. This multifunctional probiotic has received over 10 international patents and has been cited more than 1,000 times in SCI-grade papers, earning high regard from researchers not only in Korea but also across Asia and North America.

An AceBiome representative stated, "This store launch marks a critical stepping stone for expanding sales in China. Moving forward, we aim to further establish our presence in the Greater China market by leveraging our proven product capabilities and actively promoting the value of BNRThin to international consumers."###