This company profile of Asahi reveals the unethical practices of one of the world’s largest beer producers. It provides examples of harmful methods across the categories of political interference, promotion, sabotage, manipulation, and deception – the Dubious Five strategies.
Introduction
The Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd is a Japanese beverage holding company headquartered in Sumida, Tokyo. Asahi is the largest brewer in Japan with a national market share of almost 40%. It also has large market shares in Australia (47%), Romania (39%) and in the Czech Republic (48%).
The president and CEO is Atsushi Katsuki, who held the position since March 2021.
Fast Facts about Asahi
Total revenue: JPY 2,511 billion (USD 16.9 billion)
Alcohol volume sold: 62.2 million hectoliters
Lobbying costs (EU): 200,000 – 299,999 €
Gross profit: JPY 922 billion (USD 6.2 billion)
Market share (beer): 3.1 %
Number of employees: 29,920
BRANDS
Beer
- Asahi Super Dry
- Peroni Nastro Azuro
- Kozel
- Pilsner Urquell
- Grolsch
- Great Northern
- Victoria Bitter
- Carlton Draught
- Tyskie
- Ursus
- Radegast
- London Pride
- Asahi Nama Beer
Other alcohol
- Asahi Zeitaku Shibori
- Good Tides
- Long White
- Nikka
- Viper
- Vodka Cruiser
Non-Alcoholic Beer
- Beery
- Birell
- Dry Zero
- Great Northern Zero
Asahi involvement in front groups
- International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD)
- Brewers of Europe
- World Federation of Advertisers
- Alcohol Beverages Australia
- Brewers Association of Australia (via Carlton & United Breweries)
- DrinkWise (via Carlton & United Breweries)
- Australian Hotels Association (via Carlton & United Breweries)
- ABAC – Responsible Alcohol Marketing Code
Unethical practices by Asahi
UK Alcohol Duty Makes Beer Giant Lower Alcohol Content In Its Products
Heineken UK is lowering the alcohol strength of Foster’s lager from 3.7% to 3.4% because the UK’s strength-based alcohol duty makes ...
New Zealand Government Documents Reveal Shocking Alcohol Industry Interference
Newly released government papers expose how Big Alcohol lobbyists in New Zealand worked to block effective alcohol policies. The Ministry ...
England, UK: Evidence Shows Alcohol Taxes Work
New alcohol duty rules introduced in August 2023 are reshaping the UK’s alcohol market. Under the improved structure, taxes are now based ...
Promotion Asahi Caught Using Surveillance Ads to Push Beer Across Every Screen
Asahi’s latest digital marketing campaign – developed with adtech giant The Trade Desk – shows just how far Big Alcohol is willing to ...
Deception, Manipulation IARD Exploits Decline In Youth Alcohol Use to Whitewash Industry Image
The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) – the alcohol industry’s global mouthpiece – has released a new report ...
Promotion Big Alcohol’s Deceptive Play for Gen Z
Asahi’s re-launch of “Sub Zero alcoholic cola”, with its “Thanks for Zero” campaign, exemplifies the alcohol ...