Suntory entered the beer business in China with the establishment in 1984 of China Jiangsu Suntory Foods Co., Ltd., the first joint beer brewery involving foreign capital in China, in the city of Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province. Building on achievements made possible by our know-how of Chinese business acquired through pursuing beer business in Jiangsu Province, we proceeded to enter the remarkably fast-growing beer business in Shanghai.

We established Shanghai Suntory Brewing Co., Ltd. (now Suntory Brewing (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.) in 1995 and launched Suntory Beer Qingshuang and Suntory Beer Chaoshuang in 1996. Through efforts such as conducting bold advertising campaigns employing airships and TV commercials, offering beer with a refreshing taste matched to the preferences of the people of Shanghai, and implementing unique sales activities and distribution policies, we boosted the performance of Suntory Beer rapidly to capture the largest market share in Shanghai in 1999. We have continued to promote our business energetically since, becoming the first company to conduct production and sales of draft beer in the Shanghai area, for example, and acquiring Shanghai Foster’s Brewery Co., Ltd. Moreover, we are currently building up sales in Suzhou and Wuxi, the other principal cities in the Shanghai region, and we look forward to continuing our pursuit of dynamic business development with deep regional roots in the growing Chinese market.

Key visual for Yamazaki, which is establishing a firm foothold in the Chinese market

A MIDORI cocktail competition that was held in Shanghai in 2010

The Chinese consumer market continues to expand increasingly quickly in an environment of rapid economic development. Suntory’s Western liquor business stepped foot into this growing market in 2004 with premium whiskies including Yamazaki and Hibiki, and we have recorded considerable success in expanding our operations while focusing on Shanghai. Since October 2007, we have established branches in Beijing, Shenzhen, Dalian and Chengdu, and we are continuing to pursue further expansion of our business sphere. Efforts to cultivate the fast-growing market among affluent Chinese, in addition to China’s resident Japanese market, are now in full swing, and we have initiated activities targeting Chinese consumers to popularize "Japanese Whisky" with a focus on Yamazaki, introduce new ways of enjoying drinking such as the Torys Highball, and enrich cocktail culture via MIDORI. The future will see us continue our energetic efforts to expand our business and create a new liquor culture.

By acquiring Chinese imported wine distributor ASC Fine Wines Holding Limited in 2010, Suntory made its entry into the imported wine markets of China and Hong Kong, which have been continuing to grow rapidly in line with the recent economic development of the region. With offices in major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Hong Kong, ASC Fine Wines Holding is rapidly expanding its sales and stands as one of China’s largest wine importers and distributors. In the Chinese wine market, for which great upcoming development is anticipated, we will continue efforts to spread the popularity of wine.

Our beverage business got its start in China in 1995 with the establishment of a joint venture, the present day Suntory (Shanghai) Foods Marketing Co., Ltd. Business operations are conducted mainly in Shanghai and Beijing. With the key products Suntory Oolong Tea and the casual coffee beverage series Rich, the company leads the beverage market in a broad range of categories. In addition, Kuro Oolong Tea, which was released in and around Shanghai in 2009, has been winning high praise from Chinese customers. We will continue to release a varied lineup of products to win the support of consumers.

Products currently available in the Shanghai area