Japan: Asahi’s beer sales up 3% in January - February 2011

Japan’s Asahi Breweries said on March, 10 its total domestic beer sales increased by 5% in February and by 3% in the first two months of this year.

The company’s sales of normal beer remained flat in February (as compared to February 2010) and increased by 1% in the January – February period.

Sales of new-genre malt-based beer increased by 33% last month and by 21% in January – February, whereas low-malt happoshu beer saw a 15% and a 12% decrease in demand respectively.

Clear Asahi was the most popular brand of Asahi’s last month, achieving a 15.4% increase in sales versus February 2010. Sales of Asahi Off grew by 13%, sales of Super Dry and Style Free remained flat, the company said. During the January – February period, all the four brands increased in demand, it is reported.

11 March, 2011