Kirin Brewery is positioned at the core of the Group’s domestic Alcohol Business, offering great tastes and pleasures through a diverse lineup of alcohol beverages and spirits. Its product range begins with Kirin Ichiban Shibori draft beer, which will soon mark the 20th anniversary of its market release, followed by Kirin Tanrei happo-shu, and “new genre” Nodogoshi Nama beverages, each voted number one in customer preference,^*1 and extends through to chu-hi drinks, shochu, whiskey and other spirits. We are pursuing a customer-focused approach while maintaining a steady focus on quality to continue delivering appealing products to our customers. These include Tanrei W, a great-tasting happo-shu that has 99% less purine (than Kirin’s regular happo-shu) and contains wine polyphenol for a tastier flavor, and Kirin Free, the world’s first^*2 non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage that achieves 0.00% alcohol with a new method that prevents the generation of alcohol.

*1 According to the volume of “happo-shu” and “other (sparkling) liquor (1)” subject to alcohol tax for the year 2008
*2 In the beer taste beverage category; according to Kirin Beer research

A comprehensive Alcohol Business bolstered by a diverse lineup

A business and capital tie-up with Mercian Corporation, which aims to be the unchallenged leader in Japan's wine industry, has further strengthened our product lineup, especially the rich variety of wines, and shochu, whisky and others are to follow. We provide a diverse range of products with due attention to changes in customer preferences, values, and lifestyles. To this end, we aim to become Japan’s strongest comprehensive alcohol beverage group, as well as a trusted corporate group that contributes to society in the resolution of alcohol-related problems.

The Kirin Group is actively expanding its Alcohol Business in China and deepening cooperation in its Soft Drinks business, with the holding company Kirin (China) Investment Co., Ltd. at the helm. Taking full advantage of the marketing and technological capabilities that distinguish the Kirin Group, we are actively operating the businesses in the region through a continuing round of surveys, proposed hypotheses and testing, to develop products that respond to customer expectations. In Australia, Lion Nathan is working to achieve long-term growth based on the solid operational foundation acquired by strengthening the brand, capital investment and other measures. Kirin is also working on comprehensive beverage group strategies with a central focus on the Asia and Oceania region. This includes our acquisition of shares in San Miguel Brewery, the dominant market leader in the Philippines, through which we have strengthened the foundation for our business strategy in Asia.