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Asahi Group's History

The origin of Our Values

1889 Nov.

Advertisement concerning appointment of officers of Osaka Brewery

Founded Osaka Brewery, Ltd., the predecessor of Asahi Breweries, Ltd. (currently Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd.)
Japan Brewery, Ltd. and Sapporo Brewery, Ltd. were also founded around the same time, marking the start of the period of development of the Japanese beer industry.

1889 Nov.

President Komakichi Torii

Komakichi Torii appointed as president

1891 Oct.

Suita Village Brewery (currently Asahi Breweries, Ltd. Suita Plant) completed

Advertisement depicting the completed Suita Village Brewery
Brick wall remaining in Suita Plant Guest House

1892 May

Launched Asahi Beer

Advertisement concerning launch of Asahi Beer
Celebration photograph of the birth of Asahi Beer

1893

Asahi Beer won the highest award at the World's Columbian Exposition

"Best Honors Award" received at the World's Columbian Exposition

1897 Jul.

Opened the first full-scale beer hall Asahiken

"Asahiken", the first permanent beer hall
Beer hall "Asahiken"

1900

Asahi Beer won the highest award at the World's Fair in Paris

1900

Launched Japan’s first bottled unpasteurized beer as branded as Asahi Nama Beer

1906 Mar.

Dai Nippon Brewery Co., Ltd. was established as a joint venture of Osaka Brewery, Ltd., Nippon Brewery, Ltd., and Sapporo Brewery, Ltd.

Label of Dai Nippon Brewery that inherited the trademarks of the three merged companies
Joint commemorative label

1906 Mar.

Kyohei Makoshi appointed as president

1937 Feb.

Ryutaro Takahashi appointed as president

The second foundation period with innovations

1949 Jan.

Dai Nippon Brewery Co., Ltd. was split into Asahi Breweries, Ltd. and Nippon Brewery, Ltd. under the Excessive Economic Power Deconcentration Act.

1949 Sep.

Established Asahi Breweries, Ltd.
Tamesaburo Yamamoto appointed as president

1958 Sep.

Launched Asahi Gold, the first canned beer in Japan

Poster for the release of "Asahi Gold" in a can
Precautionary statement on the can lid

1965 Mar.

Developped the world's first outdoor fermented liquor tank and installation at three plants: Nishinomiya, Azumabashi, and Hakata

Outdoor fermentation liquor storage tank brought in (Azumabashi factory)
Installed outdoor fermentation liquor storage tank (Nishinomiya Plant)

1966 Feb.

Masayoshi Nakajima appointed as president

1971 Feb.

Yoshitaka Takahashi appointed as president

1971 Jun.

Launch of Asahi Beer aluminum can

Released the first aluminum canned beer in Japan

1972 Mar.

Established Mitsuya Vending Co., Ltd. (currently a part of Asahi Group Japan, Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd.)

1976 Feb.

Naomatsu Enmei appointed as president

1982 Mar.

Tsutomu Murai appointed as president

1984 Nov.

Established Asahi Foundation for Living Culture Research Promotion (currently Asahi Group Foundation)

1986 Jan.

Newspaper advertisement declaring that the company was with the introduction of CI

Introduced Corporate Identity, changed the corporate logo to Asahi

1986 Feb.

Newspaper advertisement promoting "novel deliciousness"

Launched new Asahi Nama Beer, the first product designed iconic corporate logo Asahi

1986 Mar.

Hirotaro Higuchi appointed as president

Great leaps forward by the accumulated innovations

1987 Mar.

"Super Dry" advertisement
Newspaper advertisement concerning coming launch of "Super Dry" (1987)

1988 Apr.

Erected Senjin Monument in Suita to celebrate past company and industry members since the establishment of the company

"Senjin Monument"

1989 Mar.

Established Asahi Breweries Arts Foundation (currently Asahi Group Arts Foundation)

1989 Oct.

Completed new headquarters building in Azumabashi, Tokyo

"Asahi Breweries Azumabashi Building" (left) and "Asahi Breweries Azumabashi Hall" (right)
"Asahi Beer Azumabashi Hall" 1st-3rd floor beer restaurant "la Flamme d'Or"

1992 Mar.

Established Asahi Breweries Foods Co., Ltd. (currently a part of Asahi Group Japan, Asahi Group Foods Ltd.)

Asahi Breweries Foods Koganei Plant
Cooked yakisoba for professional use

1992 Sep.

Yuzo Seto appointed as president

1994 Jan.

Acquired stakes in Chinese beer companies and started full-scale entry into China

Capital tie-up with Hangzhou Beer
Joint press conference concerning the establishment of Quanzhou Beer

1994 Mar.

Established Asahi Breweries Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (currently a part of Asahi Group Japan, Asahi Group Foods Ltd.)

1996 Apr.

Opened Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art

Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art
Main building exhibition room

1997 Oct.

Established Research and Development Center as a base for research and development for the entire Group

Research & Development Center
Test brewery

1998 Apr.

Established Asahi Breweries U.S.A. (currently a part of Asahi Europe & International)

Billboard "JAPAN'S No.1 BRAND" (in Los Angeles)

1998 Nov.

Achieved 100% recycling of waste at all plants in Japan

Waste "Separation Station" (Ibaraki Plant)
Non-fluorocarbon vending machine (Nagoya factory)

1998 Dec.

Achieved the top share in the Japanese beer market (based on annual taxable quantity)

1999 Jan.

Shigeo Fukuchi appointed as president

Expanding the business portfolio and synergies among each brand

2001 Apr.

Newspaper advertisement explaining the integration of sales department with Nikka Whisky

2001 Sep.

FSC FM certification
"Asahi Morinoko Juku"

2001 Dec.

Achieved the top share in the Japanese Beer/Happoshu markets

2002 Jan.

Koichi Ikeda appointed as president

2002 Jul.

Asahi Breweries Foods Co., Ltd. and Asahi Breweries Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. were integrated to establish Asahi Foods and Healthcare, Ltd. (currently a part of Asahi Group Japan, Asahi Group Foods Ltd.)

2002 Sep.

Transferred the shochu and low-alcohol beverage businesses from Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd. and Asahi Kasei Corporation

Tsuchiura Plant
Moji Plant

2003 Jan.

Asahi Food & Healthcare Ltd. and POLA INC. integrated (currently a part of Asahi Group Japan, Asahi Group Foods Ltd.)

2004 Nov.

Established Lotte Asahi Liquor Ltd. through investment in the liquor sales company of the Lotte Group in South Korea

2006 Mar.

Hitoshi Ogita appointed as president

2006 May

2008 Jul.

Acquired shares of Amano Jitsugyo Co., Ltd.(currently a part of Asahi Group Japan, Asahi Group Foods)

Amano Jitsugyo Satosho Plant
Main products of Amano Jitsugyo

Laying the foundations for future global growth

2009 Apr.

Acquired all shares of Australian beverage company Schweppes Australia(currently a part of Asahi Holdings(Australia))
Entered the Oceania market in earnest

Schweppes Australia Tullamarine Factory

2010 Mar.

Naoki Izumiya appointed as president

2011 Jul.

Transited from Asahi Breweries, Ltd. to Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd., a pure holding company
Established Asahi Breweries, Ltd. responsible for alcohol beverages business in Japan(currently a part of Asahi Group Japan)

2011 Sep.

Acquired shares in New Zealand liquor giant Flavoured Beverages Group Holdings Limited (currently a part of Asahi Holdings(Australia))

2011 Sep.

Acquired shares in New Zealand beverage company Charlie's Group Limited (currently a part of Asahi Holdings(Australia))

2011 Sep.

Acquired mineral water and fruit juice beverage business from Australian beverage company P&N Beverages Australia (currently a part of Asahi Holdings(Australia))

2011 Nov.

Acquired shares in Malaysian beverage company Permanis Sdn. Bhd. (currently a part of Asahi Holdings Southeast Asia)
Entered the Southeast Asia market in earnest

2012 Oct.

2014 Jun.

Acquired shares of the Malaysian food company Etika International Holdings Limited regarding the dairy products-related business in Southeast Asia(currently a part of Asahi Holdings Southeast Asia)

2015 Jul.

Formulated Corporate Governance Guidelines

2016 Mar.

Akiyoshi Koji appointed as president

2016 Oct.

Acquired former SAB Miller's Italian, Dutch and UK businesses (currently a part of Asahi Europe & International)
Entered the Europe market in earnest

2017 Mar.

Acquired beer business of the former SAB Miller in five Central and Eastern European countries (currently a part of Asahi Europe & International)

2017 Mar.

Established Asahi Biocycle Co., Ltd.

2018 Apr.

Launched Asahi Carbon Zero, a medium- to long-term goal of reducing CO2 emissions to zero by 2050

2019 Jan.

"Asahi Group Philosophy" poster

Implemented "Asahi Group Philosophy" as the core of all corporate activities

2019 Jan.

Announced Asahi Group Responsible Drinking Principles

2019 Feb.

Formulated Asahi Group Environmental Vision 2050: "Connecting the blessings of nature to the next generation based on the concept of 'Neutral & Plus'"

2019 Apr.

Established Asahi Quality & Innovations, Ltd.

2019 Apr.

Acquired premium beer and cider business of Fuller, Smith & Turner P.L.C., U.K. (currently a part of Asahi Europe & International)

2019 May.

Endorsed the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

2019 May.

Announced Asahi Group Human Rights Principles

2020 Jun.

Acquired AB InBev's Australian business (Carlton & United Breweries business) (currently a part of Asahi Holdings(Australia))

2020 Oct.

Issued the first Green Bonds in the food & beverages industry in Japan

2021 Mar.

President Atsushi Katsuki

Atsushi Katsuki appointed as President & CEO

2021 Apr.

Announced Asahi Super Dry became the Official Beer for Rugby World Cup France 2023

2021 Dec.

Announced Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement

2022 Jan.

Established Asahi Group Japan, Ltd. as a regional headquarters responsible for managing Japan Business and transitioned to a structure with four regional headquarters operating in each area under Asahi Group Holdings

2022 Jan.

Asahi YOU. US, Ltd. a company engaged in sustainability business in Japan, started operations

2022 Feb.

Updated Medium- to Long-Term Management Policy

2022 Oug.

Asahi Super Dry announced global partnership with City Football Group, making it Official Beer Partner of four clubs within the group

2023 Jan.

Launched and started managing a startup investment fund, Asahi Group Beverages & Innovation Fund, in San Francisco, the US

2023 Feb.

Revised “Asahi Group Environmental Vision 2050” and adopted "Planet Positive" as Asahi Group’s vision of what it would like the world to be like in 2050