TOP 2009 First-half Financial Results and Future Business Strategy Contents 2009 First-half Financial Results Future Business Strategy First-half Sales of Beer-type Beverages Sales Forecasts for Beer-type Beverages Beer Brand Strategy Happoshu and New Genre Brand Strategy Other Alcohol Category Results and Future Strategy Streamlining Marketing Costs Asahi Soft Drinks Busiiness Overview and Future Strategy Food and Healthcare Business Overview and Future Strategy Overseas Business Overview and Future Strategy Growth of Tingyi-Asahi-Itochu Beverages Holding Co. Ltd. Acquisition of Schweppes Australia Investment in Tsingtao Brewery Back Cover The soft drink industry has seen demand contract by around 2% as a consequence of the economic downturn, but Asahi Soft Drinks was nevertheless able to meet its target of 3% sales growth on the back of a 13% increase for Mitsuya brand products and solid contributions from other core brands. Asahi Soft Drinks also managed to achieve a slight increase in profits albeit a somewhat smaller increase than we had hoped for as cost-cutting initiatives offset increased sales promotion costs and a deterioration in product mix. We aim to beat industry-average growth once again in the second half of this year by continuing to focus on our core brands while rigorously controlling our manufacturing and distribution costs in an effort to meet our original profit targets for 2009.