LOTTE Group History
The history of the LOTTE Group started with manufacturing and selling chewing gum in Japan (Tokyo) in 1948. The name LOTTE is derived from Charlotte, the heroine of the masterpiece The Sorrows of Young Werther by the great German literary figure Goethe.
Domestic Business
Overseas Business
1948
- LOTTE founded (Founder: Takeo Shigemitsu)
- Commenced manufacturing and sales of chewing gum
1950
- Shinjuku Plant completed
1961
- Lotte Real Estate established
1964
- Entered the chocolate business
1967
- Urawa Plant completed
South Korea
- LOTTE Confectionery Established (now: LOTTE WELLFOOD)
1969
- Entered the candy business
- Sayama Plant completed
1970
- LOTTE Plaza established (now: LOTTE CITY HOTEL)
1971
- LOTTE Orions baseball team formed (now: Chiba Lotte Marines)
- Entered the ice cream business
1972
- LOTTERIA established
1973
- Kyushu Plant completed
South Korea
- HOTEL LOTTE established
1974
South Korea
- Chilsung Hanmi Beverage joins the group (now: LOTTE CHILSUNG BEVERAGE)
1976
- Enters the cookie business
South Korea
- Honam Petrochemical Corp joins the group (now: LOTTE Chemical)
1979
- Sayama Plant completed
South Korea
- LOTTE SHOPPING established
1982
South Korea
- LOTTE Giants established
1985
- Shiga Plant completed
1988
Thai
- THAI LOTTE established
1989
- LOTTE Minayoshidai Country Club opened
South Korea
- LOTTE World opened
1991
- Baseball team name changed to Chiba Lotte Marines
1993
Indonesia
- LOTTE INDONESIA established
1994
- LOTTE Kasai Golf opened
1996
Vietnam
- LOTTE VIETNAM established
South Korea
- LOTTE Logistics established (now: LOTTE GLOBAL LOGISTICS)
South Korea
- LOTTE Data Communication Company established (now: LOTTE Innovate)
1998
South Korea
- LOTTE Mart established
2005
Taiwan
- LOTTE TAIWAN established
2007
- LOTTE HOLDINGS established
- LOTTE International Scholarships Foundation established (now: THE LOTTE FOUNDATION)
2008
- Ginza Cozy Corner joins the group
- Mary Chocolate joins the group
Belgium
- Chocolaterie Guylian joins the group
2010
Poland
- Wedel joins the group (now: LOTTE Wedel)
2017
- Lotte Real Estate established
- LOTTE Arai Resort opens
South Korea
- LOTTE Corporation established
2022
- Dari K joins the group
- LOTTE VENTURES JAPAN established
South Korea
- LOTTE BIOLOGICS established
2025
- LOTTE HOTELS JAPAN established