Japan: Suntory to prioritise beer with taxes set to be reduced next year

With taxes on beer set to be reduced next year, major beverage maker Suntory Holdings Ltd. will make a concerted effort to increase sales of its beer products, which will be positioned as the company’s “top priority,” President and CEO Nobuhiro Torii revealed during a recent interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun.

The tax revision, which will take place in October 2026, is expected to lead to lower prices for beer products and a corresponding increase in demand. Suntory will be especially committed to revamping “Kinmugi,” a product currently categorized as a so-called “third-segment” quasi-beer. The beverage maker has decided to implement an unconventional strategy of increasing the malt ratio of Kinmugi so that it will fall under the category of true beer.

Torii explained that the company wants to make efforts to boost the drink’s appeal, including by improving its flavor. “We will further polish Kinmugi,” he said.

Torii went on to say that the company is maintaining strategy of using different price levels to draw a clear distinction between its various tiers of beer products, including Kinmugi, mid-priced “Suntory Nama Beer” and high-quality “The Premium Malt’s.”

“We are thoroughly cultivating each of our brands,” Torii said emphatically.

In September, then Suntory Holdings Chairman and CEO Takeshi Niinami resigned from his posts over allegations that he had purchased supplements suspected of containing illegal elements. Torii pledged to improve the company’s governance, saying, “As the company’s top leader, I would like to strengthen communication with each of our executives.”

30 December, 2025