Asahi Beer

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Asahi Breweries, Ltd. is a brewery and soft drink company based in Tokyo, Japan since 1949. The Japanese market beer consisted of two important product segments: conventional beer and Happoshu also known as low-malt beer. Prior to the post –war era, there were only two beer companies: Kirin and Asahi.
Kirin had been the leader of the Japanese beer industry from 1953 until the 1980s, holding nearly two-thirds of Japanese beer sales with a hugely popular product, Kirin Lager Beer. Asahi was at the third position with only 10% market share along with its competitors; Sapporo and Suntory companies.
By 1988, Kirin's market share dramatically decreased by 10%, to 50%, following Asahi's introduction of Asahi Super Dry in 1987. Since its introduction, Super Dry has set a new de facto standard in Japanese brewing, attracting beer drinkers’ attention to Asahi and creating a momentum toward Asahi that never flagged. Over the years, Super Dry has continued to expand its popularity. Between 1986 and 1998 Asahi increased its production capacity fourfold, and captured 39.5 percent market share, surpassing Kirin’s share of 38.4 percent. Since ever, Super Dry has majestically positioned Asahi as leader of the conventional beer market.
In 1998, Happoshu beers entered in the war. They contained a low level of malt and thus qualified for a significantly lower tax rate. By 2000, Kirin with Tanrei brand had taken leadership in the happoshu market, captured over 49 percent of the low ma-malt liquor market, with the rest of the market split equally between Suntory and Sapporo. Asahi was the major brewery without a happoshu product. In sharp contrast to its competitors, Asahi aggressively eschewed the happoshu segment, preferring instead to follow the s...

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...s after maturity would either decline or become victim of a competitive coup d’état if there is no innovation. Imperatively, Asahi would need to review its strategies and probably invest in Happusho market if it want to maintain its equilibrium point. Not only because of the promising flowers on this market but also because of some demographic and economic factors.
For the last 13 years, the beer market has been shrinking in pace with Japan’s economic decline and shrinking population. The era of conservative or loyal customers buyers are eclipsing. Consumers are always looking for new trend and cheaper new genre beer beverages, and the happoshu market is known for that quick delivery.
As investors or observers it’s pretty much easier to be attracted by a market but sometimes people don’t ask themselves, not all attractive market is good opportunity for all firms.

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