JAPANESE BEER FIRMS SEEK TO BOOST SALES OF LOW-MALT BEER.

AsiaPulse News, December, 2004

TOKYO, Dec 9 Asia Pulse - Japan's beer manufacturers will seek to rejuvenate sales of low-malt beer by revamping existing brands and launching new products.

The low-malt beer market has fizzled as a result of the growing popularity of low-priced beerlike beverages.

Kirin Brewery Co. (TSE:2503) announced Wednesday that between January and February it will modify the flavor and packaging of its Tanrei low-malt beer series. The company has already increased the barley content of its mainline Kirin Tanrei low-malt beer by at least 20 per cent.

Next year, Kirin will target a roughly 2-million-case sales increase to about 78 million cases from its estimate for the current year. One case is equivalent to 20 large bottles.

Starting in...