Asahi tops Japanese brewers in increased sales in 2022

Asahi Breweries Ltd logged a 10 percent rise in sales, replacing Kirin as the top-selling Japanese brewery.

Three of four major Japanese brewers posted a rise in sales of beer and beer-like drinks in 2022 from a year earlier, with Kirin dropping 2 percent while Suntory and Sapporo growing 5 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

The results suggest more people are going out drinking amid the easing of coronavirus restrictions. The total sales volume of the four companies, also including Kirin Brewery Co, Suntory Spirits Ltd, and Sapporo Breweries Ltd, likely expanded by around 3 percent for the first increase in 18 years.

Kirin, which has expanded the lineup of home-use beer servers, experienced a slump last year after enjoying robust demand for drinking at home in 2921 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All the major Japanese breweries are strengthening their product appeal, believing a planned tax change later this year will help accelerate beer sales.

In October this year, the tax on regular beer will be reduced, narrowing the price difference between beer and beer-like drinks.