No. 7803 December 27
Suntory Achieves 100% Recycling

As of December 31, 2000, Suntory achieved 100% recycling of all industrial by-products and waste discharged from its 18 plants nationwide.

In 1998, the company established a goal to attain 100% recycling at all its plants by the end of 2000. Suntory attained the goal at its beer plants by the end of 1998. The company is now making efforts to achieve full recycling at its spirits, wine and nonalcoholic beverage production plants by the end of 2001.

No. 7802 December 27
Suntory Quarterly - "Viva Liquor & Side Dish"

Volume 65 of "Suntory Quarterly" has been published. The latest issue of the magazine, which explores the relationship between fine dining and culture, features stories and essays by popular Japanese writers. The theme of the issue is "Viva Liquor & Side Dish." The Suntory Quaterly can be found at major bookstores. It retails for 500 yen.

No. 7800 December 19
Suntory to Market LAPHROAIG 10 Years Old

Suntory will start selling LAPHROAIG 10 Years Old Cask Strength single malt whisky from January 5. The whisky is distilled and bottled by D. Johnston & Co., on the island of Islay in Scotland. The term 'Laphroaig' means the beautiful hollow by the broad bay. A 700 ml bottle of LAPHROAIG 10 Years Old Cask Strength, containing 57.3% of alcohol, will sell for 9,000 yen.

No. 7798 December 14
Suntory Marketing Commemorative Wine

On December 15, 2000, Suntory will begin marketing "KASHIMA Antlers Winning Wine <red>" in limited quantities in Ibaraki Prefecture. The sale of the special wine, which has been imported from Spain, is to commemorate the victory of the Kashima Antlers professional soccer team in the recently concluded Suntory Championship. A 750ml bottle will retail on an open-price basis.

No. 7796 December 12
Suntory Promoting Green Tea Campaign

Suntory will begin a campaign to promote sales of its Shimijimi Ryokucha green tea. The company will give away a good luck talisman with every purchase of the product during the campaign period. The talisman is decorated with several cats. (Note: A seated cat with one paw raised is a symbol of good fortune in Japan. Such figures, usually made of clay or porcelain, are often used as a decoration in places of business.)

No. 7795 December 12
Suntory to Market HIRAM WALKER Mint Liqueur

Suntory will begin marketing HIRAM WALKER mint liqueur in two versions starting on January 5, 2001. The products include "HIRAM WALKER MINT LIQUEUR <white>" and "HIRAM WALKER MINT LIQUEUR <green>." A 750ml bottle of each is priced at 2,000 yen.

HIRAM WALKER is a distinguished maker of fine liqueur with a history spanning 70 years.

No. 7794 December 12
Suntory to Market Famous French Wine

Suntory will begin marketing the noted "Georges Duboeuf" French wine on January 16, 2001. A 750ml bottle of "Georges Duboeuf MILENAGE <white> 1999" will retail for 1,280 yen, while a 375ml bottle of "Georges Duboeuf SAINT-AMOUR <red> 1999" will sell for 1,070 yen.

No. 7793 December 12
Suntory Launching BOSS COFFEE Campaign

Suntory will kick off a promotional campaign on behalf of its BOSS canned coffee on February 6. During the campaign the company will give away stadium jackets embossed with the BOSS logo to a total of 10,000 applicants. The jacket is available in 21 different colors. Suntory also will give away 5,000 pairs of a similar jacket designed to be worn parents and their children. The campaign concludes on March 31, 2001.

No. 7792 December 8
Suntory Selects MAGNUM DRY Campaign Girl

Miss Mei Senkawa has been selected as the official "campaign girl" for Suntory MAGNUM DRY beer in FY2001. The 20-year-old fledgling model will promote the product in various media advertisements throughout the year. Her hobbies include swimming, cooking, listening to music, walking and camping. Miss Senkawa is a relative newcomer to the modeling field and this is her first assignment as a campaign girl.

No. 7791 December 8
Suntory Selects MALT'S Campaign Girl

Miss Risa Motohashi has been selected as the official "campaign girl" for Suntory MALT'S beer in FY2001. She will promote the mainstay beer product in future advertisements. Miss Motohashi was born in 1978. Her hobbies include cheerleading, dancing, cooking, snowboarding and scuba diving. She has modeled for a magazine and also acted in several television programs.

No. 7790 December 8
Suntory Releases FY2000 Business Results

In accordance with usual company practice, Suntory has released its business results for FY2000.

Spirits business:
Japan's overall liquor market was weak in 2000 owing to the Japanese economy, which remains sluggish. However, demand for spirits is expected to increase in terms of quantity. In particular, the liqueur market is expected to post double-digit growth backed by the strong demand for cocktails. On the other hand, whisky sales have dropped because of slow business demand from restaurants and bars.

Beer and low-malt brew businesses:
The beer and low-malt brew market is expected to decline slightly from the previous year. Low-malt brew accounts for nearly 20% of the entire market, proving that the product has been well accepted by consumers.

Wine business:
Wine is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in Japan. While sales dipped 15% in 2000 compared to the previous year, demand is expected to rebound over the middle and long term as the beverage has taken a firm hold on the Japanese lifestyle.

Nonalcoholic beverages business:
Sales of nonalcoholic beverage products are expected to reach 1.5 billion cases, up 1% from the previous year. By product, sales of coffee and carbonated drink products have leveled off. Sales of fruit-based drinks, which have shown steady growth since 1998, increased slightly. However, sales of green tea and sports drink products significantly expanded and contributed to an overall boost in this business sector.

No. 7788 December 5
Suntory Marketing World's Famous Orange Liqueur

Suntory will begin marketing five versions of the famous "Grand Marnier" French liqueur starting on January 5, 2001. The products include: Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge (700ml: 3,190 yen), Grand Marnier Centennial Bottle (700ml: 10,470 yen), Grand Marnier 150 Anniversary Bottle (700ml: 15,650 yen), Cherry Marnier (700ml: 2,930 yen) and Grand Marnier Extra Orange (20 liter: 76,000 yen).

No. 7786 December 1
Suntory Takasago Factory Earns ISO14001 Certification

Suntory's Takasago Factory (Hyogo Prefecture) was awarded ISO14001 certification for its environmental management systems by the International Organization for Standardization on October 27. The factory is deeply involved with environmental protection activities. It recycles 100% of the materials it uses and also generates electricity via solar panels and windmills. Moreover, the plant employs refrigerators that do not rely on freon, an ozone-depleting gas. At the same time, the factory maintains a high level of quality control and efficiency by making full use of its computer and network systems. The Takasago Factory has also opened up a park facility for local residents.