Kirin Beer announced on Jan. 22 that their Fukuoka factory will acquire new equipment to produce non-alcoholic beer and foods. Some of the manufacturing products of the ¥1.5 billion investment will start operating as early as June. Until now, non-alcoholic beverages have been brought into the area from Kirin factories in Okayama and Shiga prefectures. Brewing the beer in Fukuoka will help reduce transportation costs in the long run. There is an increased demand for non-alcoholic beer due to increased punishments for drunk driving and the rise of health-conscious consumers. The domestic beer market is in a slump, but non-alcoholic beers and functional foods have gained in popularity. Sales of the company’s non-alcoholic beverages increased by 52% in Kyushu during 2017. Source: Nikkei Shimbun, 1/23/2018
Photo: Kirin Co., Ltd.
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