JAPAN: Asahi beer profits down, soft drink earnings up

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 25 April 2006

Asahi Breweries has seen first-quarter profits dip 1.3% despite a rise in revenues for the three-month period.

The Japanese beer maker, which last week announced that it was to close its office in Europe, today (25 April) posted operating profit of JPY755m (US$6.6m), down from JPY765m a year earlier. Sales rose 5.6% to JPY278.8bn while net profit was up 1.3% to JPY860m.

Asahi, Japan's second-largest brewer, saw beer volumes rise 3.1% during the first three months of the year. Mainstream beer sales rose 7% to 323,048 kilolitres.

Meanwhile, Asahi subsidiary Asahi Soft Drinks Co. saw first-quarter operating profit leap 34% to JPY797m on the back of a 6% rise in sales to JPY46.6bn.

Sectors: Beer & cider, Soft drinks