Asahi Breweries

Asahi Breweries, Ltd.

Industry	Alcoholic beverage
Founded	1889
Headquarters	Sumida, Tokyo, Japan
Products	Beer

Asahi Breweries, Ltd. (アサヒビール株式会社 Asahi Bīru Kabushiki Gaisha) TYO: 2502 is a leading brewery and soft drink company based in Tokyo, Japan. The company has a 40% share of the Japanese beer market.^[1]

The company's primary beer, from 1957 through the late 1980s, was Asahi Gold (overtaking Asahi Draft, its original formula, which remains in production). In 1987 it introduced Asahi Super Dry, which initiated the Japanese craze for dry beer; this led in turn to Asahi's dramatic turnaround in business performance, and its surpassing of former second ranker Sapporo Brewery in sales and profits. ^[1]

History

In 1990, Asahi acquired a 19.9% stake in Australian brewery giant Elders IXL which has since become the Foster's Group.

In 2009, Asahi acquired the Australian beverages unit of Cadbury Schweppes.

On January 23, 2009, Asahi acquired 19.9% of Tsingtao Brewery from Anheuser-Busch InBev for $667 million. The sale will make Asahi Breweries, Ltd. the second largest shareholder in Tsingtao behind only the Tsingtao Brewery Group.

Brands

A display of Asahi 'dry' beer cans

The main brand is Asahi Super Dry. Other beers produced include:

• Asahi Draft - Lager (First produced in 1892)
• Asahi Gold - Lager (Former flagship product; first produced in 1957)
• Asahi Stout
• Asahi Z - Dry lager
• Asahi Black - Black lager
• Asahi Prime Time - German Pilsener style lager (Only available in Japan)^photo

Asahi Beer Hall

Main article: Asahi Beer Hall

Asahi Breweries' headquarters in Tokyo were designed by French designer Philippe Starck. The Beer Hall is considered one of Tokyo's most recognizable modern structures.^[2]

See also

• Asahi Soft Drinks

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Asahi Breweries: Beverage Industry Factsheet". www.just-drinks.com. http://www.just-drinks.com/factsheet.aspx?id=244. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 
2. ^ "Asahi Beer Hall -- Tokyo Meltdown Architecture Review". www.bento.com. http://www.bento.com/arch/abh.html. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 

External links

• Asahi Breweries, Ltd. official site
• Modern Brewery Age