Asahi Breweries retained the number one position in the Japanese beer market in 2002 for the second year running. However, the company’s market share fell for the first time in 11 years, suggesting its leadership could be under threat from the number two brewer, Kirin.
According to data released by the country’s five top brewers, Asahi’s market share fell to 38.4%, from 38.7% a year earlier, while Kirin’s share rose from 35.8% to 36.2%. Asahi took the top spot in 2001 from Kirin, which had been the leading brewer for 48 years.
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In volume terms, Asahi’s shipments fell by 3.4% to 210.30m cases, its first year-on-year volume decline for seven years. Kirin’s volumes also declined but by only 1.5% to 198.24m cases. Shipments as a whole fell by 2.6% in 2002 to 547.42m cases.
Sapporo Breweries’ share fell from 15% to 14.1% in 2002, with its sales falling by 8.8% to 76.94m cases, while Suntory’s share rose from 9.7% to a record high of 10.5%. Suntory’s volumes rose by 5.7% to 57.74m cases.
