Water is the key resource of Suntory

Quality natural water nurtured by rich forests is the wellspring of Suntory’s craftsmanship. Without delicious water, there would be no beer, whisky, or soft drinks. Suntory is truly a company sustained by water. Precisely for this reason, our clear mission is to protect water, an irreplaceable element for the earth and humans, use it conscientiously, and ultimately, return it to nature.

Increasing understanding of the movement and workings of water is necessary to fulfill this mission, and it is the Institute for Water Science that is taking up this challenge. Advancing research on water enables us to understand how to protect water resources in the future. What should we do to provide safe, delicious water for children 100 years from now? That question is at the forefront of our minds as we carry out research every day.

Visualizing the unseen movement of water underground

We are always focusing on the water cycle. Water vapor rises and becomes clouds, then becomes rain and falls to the earth. Groundwater that has seeped into the soil turns into rivers that flow into the oceans, and this water once again evaporates, becomes clouds, and turns into rain to continue the cycle of nature. Within this cycle, we are particularly interested in the movement of groundwater that is not visible to us. Our research concentrates on visualizing and digitally recreating this water flow. We illustrate what happens underground based on a variety of data, including geological features, how easily water permeates the ground, and the water level of wells. We believe this visualization will help to continue protecting water resources in the future.

I also believe that our natural water plant was able to identify—and ultimately be built in—the optimal location in terms of both water quality and volume thanks to these research findings and technologies. They have also enabled us to plan our groundwater recharge and watershed conservation activities* far more efficiently. Once this technology is fully established, we hope to apply it not only throughout Japan but also in regions overseas that face drought and severe water scarcity.

Research that is open to society, valuing scientific evidence

Not only does water interact with nature, but also with various living beings, including us humans. The water that humans drink circulates in our bodies, provides moisture to cells, and eventually is released. This water cycle within the body underpins our biological activity and is also a part of the large water cycle circulating in nature. In recent years, drinking water as a daily beverage has become firmly rooted in our lifestyles. As this shift continues, I believe that research into the relationship between water and human health will become increasingly relevant and meaningful for many people.

Understanding the water cycle in nature and the water cycle in living beings is crucial to continuing business as a multi-faceted food and beverage company. In addition to directly connecting to product development, our research is also conducted on the concept of trying to comprehend the underlying phenomena. It is exactly this kind of fundamental research that allows us to skillfully apply what we learn not only to beverages, but also to provide new value through a broad range of other products such as health foods and cosmetics.

With the cooperation of experts from a wide range of fields, we aim to apply scientifically grounded findings to our business activities while also sharing them broadly with society.

Suntory’s Water Research: Expanding Globally, Shaping the Future

The field of research now extends overseas to Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America as our business expands. We have also expanded our research area in line with technological advances, and have begun efforts to improve the accuracy of water cycle models using AI technology. We are looking forward to the challenge of extending our technology to water sources and watersheds and further improving its accuracy so that it can be applied around the world.

SUNTORY Sustained by Nature and Water

As stated by this corporate message, we conduct ongoing research to promote understanding of water, the key resource of our company, with the desire to pass on safe, delicious water to children in the future.