Japan: Asahi’s beer sales down 2.8% in 2010

Japan’s No. 1 beer maker Asahi Breweries said on January, 17 its total beer shipments fell 2.8% to 2.18 mln kl in 2010, with the biggest decline registered for low-malt happoshu beer category (minus 25.8%).

Asahi’s normal beer sales declined by 3.6% to 1.48 mln kl, whereas sales of new genre beer-like drinks grew by 18.9% to 466.1 thousand kl.

In December alone, Asahi’s total beer shipments dropped by 6%, with only new-genre beer increasing by 3.2%.

Asahi managed to regain leadership in beer sales overcoming its rival Kirin Holdings Co. in 2010.

19 January, 2011