Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Kirin Beer Buys Into Yo-Ho Brewing



According to an article in Nikkei Asian Review, Karuizawa-based Yo-Ho Brewing Company has agreed to sell a 30% stake to Kirin Beer, one of Japan’s four major brewing companies.

Yo-Ho will benefit from Kirin’s distribution network, while Kirin will gain from the ever-increasing sales by Yo-Ho, which is Japan’s largest craft beer maker.

Kirin’s business has been in dismal shape of late; the company has even been surpassed in sales by Suntory Holdings. On the other hand, Kirin’s main rival, Asahi Group Holdings, has made net profits 13 years in a row.

Yo-Ho will retain control of management and (we hope) of production processes as well.

Several craft beer makers in the US and Europe have sold part of their holdings to major brewing groups, and quality seems not to have suffered.

 Yo-Ho Yona Yona Ale

Yo-Ho produces several beers, including its flagship Yona Yona Pale Ale, Aooni (IPA), Tokyo Black Porter, and Suiyobi no Neko (Belgian White), most of which are widely available in convenience stores throughout Japan.

Yo-Ho Aooni

Some craft beer fans, including me, do feel that the overall quality of Yo-Ho’s beers has declined over the past couple of years. This could be due to control problems from expanded production or, more likely, from less care of the finished product during distribution and storage. How often have you spotted cases of beer sitting on the backs of trucks in the sun or stacked up in liquor store display windows?

 Yo-Ho Tokyo Black Porter

We shall see if this new hook-up helps or hinders either or both companies.

Yo-Ho Suiyoubi No Neko

2 comments:

  1. 非常に良い作品は、私はあなたの仕事の結果に非常に満足しています。

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  2. Whether it is due to Kirin's impetus, Yo-Ho's beers are available in Chicago, U.S.A. From my memory, Tokyo Black Porter is still a succinct, to-style, porter.
    Amazingly, when I first took pictures with a camera in May 2009, I espied Yo-Ho beers on the refrigerated shelf at Don Quijote (a level away from bottles of Zima!).

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