JAPAN BREWERIES SHIFTING FOCUS TO LOW-PRICED LOW-MALT BEER.

AsiaPulse News, January, 2002

TOKYO, Jan 17 Asia Pulse - Facing an ongoing decline in demand for regular beer, the nation's major beer brewers are increasingly shifting their focus to low-malt beer.

While Asahi Breweries Ltd. (TSE:2502) is focusing on its popular Honnama brand, Kirin Brewery Co. (TSE:2503) plans to introduce a number of new low-malt beer products this year because Kirin lacks "a best-seller label," according to company President Koichiro Aramaki.

Beer brewers need to improve their profitability as well as expand their market share because a price war could increase their sales promotion costs at a time of deflation, analysts warn.

In 2001, sales of low-malt beer accounted for 31.3 per cent of the overall beer market, which encompasses both regular and low-malt...