In a First, Asahi Is the Official Beer for the Rugby World Cup - BNN Bloomberg
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At a pub belonging to the company Hub Co. in Tokyo, Japan, a patron is seen holding a glass of beer on Friday, September 6th, 2019. The Rugby World Cup organizers have forecasted that foreign spectators will consume approximately four times the amount of beer compared to the Japanese viewers. As a result, breweries, distributors, and bars in Japan are taking preventative measures to avoid a potential shortage of beer during the six-week long tournament, which begins on September 20th and marks the first time it takes place in Asia. A photographer named Shiho Fukada captured the scene for Bloomberg.
Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. has recently taken the initiative to sponsor the Rugby World Cup, marking the first time a Japanese brewery has contributed as an official sponsor of the event. By taking this action, the company aims to increase its global presence and strategy, recognizing the potential benefits of reaching a wide range of viewers around the world.
During an interview, Atsushi Katsuki, the CEO of Asahi, expressed that this is an excellent chance to increase the visibility of our brand.
Over the last four years, Asahi has dedicated over 2 trillion yen ($13.6 billion) to enhance its international reach. This has been done through the purchasing of various brewing companies, such as Pilsner Urquell and Peroni. Concurrently, Asahi is also focused on transforming Super Dry, which premiered in the 1980s and was responsible for transforming Asahi into Japan's leading brewer, into a globally recognized beer label.
Only 9 sports venues and 10 areas for supporters will sell Asahi beer. The CEO, Katsuki, predicts that the sales of beer in France, where the rugby event is being held, could surpass a full year's worth of sales in only two months of game time. Even though the company does not operate a production facility in France, they are doing everything possible to guarantee enough beer supply, as stated by the CEO.
In 2019, Heineken NV was the designated beer provider for the Rugby World Cup in Japan - an event which they have sponsored since 1995. According to data from Euromonitor International, Heineken, the second largest brewing company globally, sold four times as much beer as Asahi, who ranked seventh in the world for sales volume in 2022.
Although Asahi has not established a specific sales goal for the upcoming competition, Katsuki anticipates that the amount of merchandise sold at retail in France will surpass 3 million liters.
