Japanese brewing force, Asahi Breweries, is to build a new brewery in Beijing, through its Chinese joint venture, Beijing Beer Asahi. The decision was taken due to a forecasted rise in consumption with the start of the 2008 Olympic games. The plant will start operations from the spring of 2004. Asahi will invest about Ґ5 billion in the deal and the plant is supposed to produce about 100 million litres of beer per year.
Beijing Beer Asahi - jointly owned by Asahi, trading house Itochu Corp and a Chinese partner - will launch the new brewery to replace an existing facility operating in the city.
Asahi currently operates five beer plants through joint ventures in China, which produced a total of 510 million litres last year.
18 March, 2003
