NEWS
ASAHI BEER LOST MARKET LEADERSHIP TO KIRIN IN JAPAN DUE TO CYBERATTACK
By Siulan Law Mathews DipWSET
13-11-2025
Source: Unsplash
Asahi Breweries Ltd. said Today that its sales dropped by nearly 10 percent in October from a year earlier, after parent Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. was hit by a cyberattack on 29 September that caused a computer system failure.
But the dent in sales was smaller than that of non-alcoholic beverages and foods sold by the Asahi group as the brewer resumed shipments of its flagship Super Dry brand relatively early.
Asahi Soft Drinks Co. posted a roughly 40 percent drop in sales in October. Sales by the Asahi Group unit were slower to recover than those by the brewer as it has several major products, including the Calpis lactic drink and the Mitsuya Cider sweet carbonated drink.
Sales at Asahi Group Foods Ltd. fell by almost 30 percent.
Since the system failure, the Asahi group has resumed shipments of about 80 percent of its alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in terms of value.
Competitors have been quick to seize the opportunity. Kirin Holdings Co., Suntory, and Sapporo have been replacing Asahi-branded taps, glassware, and other bar equipment through wholesalers — moves that could make it harder for Asahi to reclaim its presence once supply stabilizes.
Analyst Euan Mcleish of Sanford C. Bernstein Japan believes Sapporo stands to gain the most, thanks to its full-malt beer lineup.
Following the 6 October attack, Asahi even lost its No. 1 position in Japan’s retail beer market to Kirin, driven by a surge in sales of Kirin’s Ichiban Shibori brand, according to Nikkei point-of-sale data.
Kirin has adjusted its shipments to ensure a stable supply as demand grows, while Suntory confirmed receiving numerous distributor inquiries and is scaling production.
Sapporo also reported ramping up shipments to meet stronger-than-expected demand.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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