Japanese brewers pursue growth overseas

Tokyo

FROM a small Californian brewery to a 175-year-old Czech pilsner brand, Japanese beermakers are in hot pursuit of more drinkers around the world as their home market languishes.

Kirin Holdings Co has sought growth by expanding into craft brews, last year purchasing a 24 per cent stake in Brooklyn Brewery and boosting its own line of artisan brews. Sapporo Holdings Ltd scooped up Anchor Steam Brewery this summer in California in a bid to expand its North American footprint. Asahi Group Holdings Ltd went on an US$11 billion buying spree in Europe when it bought several beer brands from Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2016.