Japan & China: Asahi unveils expansion plans across China

Asahi has revealed its expansion across China will initially focus on Shanghai, Shenzhen and online sales while tapping into Asian culture, The Drinks Business reported on August 14.

The Japanese beer company revealed via The China Morning Post details of its broader expansion and how it aims to be made available via all channels including shops, restaurants and hotels.

Speaking to local reprters about the expansion, Asahi Beer Asia managing director Kinyi Choo said: “We want to grow our brand from a regional Japanese brand to a global icon and to be available across all of China, across all channels.”

Choo explained: “Our strategy is very much focused on being the leader in the Japanese channels rather than the whole market, focusing on Asahi Super Dry as our flagship brand, and riding the 2022 success of Asahi 2.0 in Japan.”

Asahi also revealed that selling its eponymous beer online, via e-commerce channels, was also a “critical’ part of its expansion plans to assist in its rollout across mainland China. Choo revealed: “China is a key market in Asia. One strategic pillar we’ll be entering is e-commerce, a very critical but also a very challenging channel.”

Asahi has plans to use Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Jing Dong, Taobao, and Douyin, as well as use live-streamers as a means of reaching its target demographic across the country. Choo admitted: “We are still at a very early stage, but we see a lot of promise [in online platforms]” and added that In its expansion will also set out strengthen its foothold in through Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA). He hinted: “We’re seeing [Chinese] consumers want high quality, premium offerings that you want to be able to enjoy, [although] not in huge quantities”.

This means that, according to Choo, tapping into how Chinese consumers prefer light beers with lower alcohol levels could become its pathway to seeding the brand in as well as using elements of Japanese culture that would also appeal to Chinese consumers. Choo added: “Japanese culture and innovation, in fact everything Japan, resonates really well with Asian consumers, and we will ride and use this to strengthen our premium positioning.”

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