Wikipedia

Kirin Company

(Redirected fromKirin Company, Limited)
For the affiliated pharmaceutical company, seeKyowa Hakko Kirin.

TheKirin Holdings Company, Limited.(キリンホールディングス kabushiki gaisha)is a Japanese beer and beverageholding company.It is known for brands such as Kirin Beer, Kirin Lemon, Mets, and Gogo no Kōcha.

Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
Native name
キリンホールディングス kabushiki gaisha
Kirin Hōrudingusu kabushiki gaisha
FormerlyJapan Brewery Company, Limited
Company typePublicKK
IndustryBeverage
PredecessorSpring Valley Brewery Company
Founded1888;136 years ago(1888)
FounderWilliam Copeland
Thomas Blake Glover
Headquarters
Nakano-ku, Tokyo
,
Japan
Key people
Hideki Horiguchi (President and CEO)
ServicesStrategic management and oversight of the domestic beverage business.
Number of employees
30,464 (consolidated)
Websitewww.kirinholdings.co.jpEdit this at Wikidata
A can of Kirin Ichiban

The predecessor of the company, theJapan Brewery Company,was founded inYokohamain 1885 by William Henry Talbot and Edgar Abbott. In 1888, they launched Kirin Beer. In 1907, the business of JBC[further explanation needed]was inherited[by whom?],andKirin Brewery Companywas established. In 2007, it became Kirin Holdings Company, a holding company, with Kirin Beer Company, Kirin Beverage Company, andMercian Corporationas its main subsidiaries.

Etymology of name

edit

In Japanese, "Kirin" can refer to giraffes, or toQilin(Kỳ lân), the mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creatures inEast Asian culture.Kirin Brewery is named after the latter.

History

edit

The Japan Brewery Company, Limited, the forerunner of Kirin Brewery, was established in 1885, taking over the assets of the Spring Valley Brewery, first founded inYokohamain 1869 by Norwegian-American brewer,William Copeland.In a deal brokered byThomas Blake Glover,Japan Brewery was incorporated inHong Kongin the name of W. H. Talbot and E. H. Abbott with financial backing provided by a group of Japanese investors includingIwasaki Yanosuke,then-president of Mitsubishi.[1][2]

Japan Brewery first began marketing Kirin Beer in 1888. The Kirin Brewery Company was established as a separate legal entity in February 1907, purchasing the assets of the Japan Brewery and expanding the business in an era of growing consumer demand. Kirin Brewery built on the traditions of Japan Brewery retaining the use ofmalted grainsandhopsimported from Germany and employing German brewers to oversee production. An exclusive partnership withMeidi-yaproved highly successful in the marketing of Kirin's beers both in Japan and under the Japan Brewery and Water Bureau andMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.[3]

Corporate overview

edit

Kirin Brewery sells two of the most popular beers in Japan:Kirin Lager,one of the country's oldest beer brands, brewed since 1888; andIchiban Shibori.Within thehapposhu(low-malt) category, Kirin Tanrei is the top seller. Kirin handles domestic distribution for several foreign brands, includingBudweiserandHeineken.

Kirin's brewery operations also extend overseas, through strategic alliances, subsidiaries, and affiliates, to China, Taiwan, Australia, the Philippines, Europe, New Zealand and the United States. The company holds a 100%[4]stake inLion Nathan Limited,a consolidated subsidiary that is based in Australia but has particularly important operations in China. Kirin has a 48%[5]stake inSan Miguel Brewery,the dominant brewer in the Philippines. Kirin now applies itsfermentationtechnology to areas such asplant genetics,pharmaceuticals,andbioengineering.Although brewing and related businesses remain the core of Kirin's activities, the company is also involved in several other sectors: hardliquor,wine,soft drinks,andfoodproducts.

In December 2006, theKirin Brewery Companyof Japan purchased a 25% stake inHangzhou Qiandaohu Beer Co., Ltd.for US$38 million.[6]

On 14 July 2009, Kirin announced that it was in negotiations withSuntoryon a merger.[7]On 8 February 2010, it was announced that negotiations between the two had been terminated.[8]

In early 2010 Kirin's Agribio business was sold to DutchH2 Equity Partners;now it's part ofDümmen Orange.[9]

In 2010, 23.4 percent of Kirin's sales were made overseas, the highest overseas revenue among all Japanese breweries.[10]

In October 2011, the court decided that Kirin could buy a majority stake in family-run Brazilian beerSchincariol.Kirin bought a 50.45 percent stake in 2011, valued at $2.6 billion.[11]In November 2011, Kirin Holdings Company agreed to buy out the remaining shareholders in Brazilian beermaker Schincariol Participacoes e Representacoes, completing its biggest acquisition as it sees growth in emerging markets ($1.35 billion was paid for the 49.54 percent stake, giving it control of all outstanding shares).[12]In November 2012, Kirin changed Schincariol's name toBrasil Kirin.[13]

In 2013 Kirin joined leading alcohol producers as part ofa producers' commitmentsto reducing harmful drinking.[14]

In February 2013,Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdibought the 15% stake of Singapore'sFraser & Neave(F&N), a property-to-drinks conglomerate, from Kirin for US$1.6 billion.[15]

In July 2014, Kirin announced its intention to revive the Spring Valley Brewery brand as a wholly owned subsidiary company to focus on producing and retailing microbrewery style beers produced using traditional ingredients and brewing methods.[16]

On January 20, 2017,Heineken NVand Kirin Holdings confirmed they were in negotiations for Heineken to acquire Brasil Kirin.[17]

On February 5, 2018, Kirin Holdings announced the acquisition of 95% outstanding shares in Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd, fromKyowa Hakko Kirinto expand to wellness and bio-chemical products.[18]

On August 6, 2019, Kirin Holdings announced it would take a 33% stake in cosmetics and dietary supplements companyFanclCorp for US$1.21 billion.[19]

On June 30, 2022, Kirin Holdings announced to sell its 51% stake in Myanmar Brewery Limited, its Myanmar joint venture to its military-linked local partner.[20]

Holdings in Japan

edit

Alcoholic beverage business

edit
  • Kirin Distillery Company, Limited (Renamed from Kirin-Seagram Ltd. on July 1, 2002)
  • Ei Sho Gen Company, Limited
  • Kirin Communications Stage Company, Limited

Soft drink business

edit

Logistics

edit
  • Kirin Logistics Company, Limited

Engineering

edit
  • Kirin Techno-System Company, Limited
  • Kirin Engineering Company, Limited

Restaurants

edit
  • Kirin Dining Company, Limited
  • Kirin City Company, Limited

Real estate

edit
  • Kirin Building Management Company., Limited
  • Kirin Hotel Development Company, Limited

Other core businesses

edit
  • Kirin Echo Company, Limited

Nutrient food

edit
  • Kirin Well-Foods Company, Limited
  • Takeda-Kirin Foods Corporation
  • Cosmo Foods Company, Limited

Agribio

edit
  • Kirin Green & Flower Company, Limited
  • Flower Gate, Inc.
  • Flower Season Company, Limited
  • Verdy Company, Limited
  • Tokita Seed Company, Limited
  • Japan Potato Corporation

Food

edit
  • Nagano Tomato Company, Limited

Healthcare

edit

Holdings outside Japan

edit

Alcohol business

edit

Soft drink business

edit

Pharmaceutical business

edit
  • Kirin-Amgen, Inc. (United States)
  • Gemini Science, Inc. (United States)
  • Hematech Inc. (United States)
  • Jeil-Kirin Pharmaceutical, Inc. (South Korea)
  • Kirin Pharmaceuticals Company, Limited (Taiwan)
  • Kirin Pharmaceuticals (Asia) Company, Limited (Hong Kong, China)
  • Kirin Kunpeng (China) Bio-Pharmaceutical Company, Limited (China)
  • BlackmoresLimited (Australia)

Agribio business

edit
  • Twyford International, Inc. (United States)
  • Kirin Agribio EC B.V. (Paris Office) (France)
  • Southern Glass House Produce, Limited (England)
  • Fides Holding B.V. (Netherlands)
  • Barberet & Blanc, S.A. (Spain)
  • Qingdao International Seeds Company, Limited (China)
  • Germicopa S.A. (France)
  • Kirin Agribio Shanghai Company, Limited (China)

Other business

edit
  • Kirin Australia Pty., Limited (Australia)
  • Indústria Agrícola Tozan Ltda. (Brazil)

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^"The History of Kirin".Kirin Holdings Corporate History.Kirin Holdings.Retrieved5 July2014.
  2. ^Alexander, Jeffrey W. (2013).Brewed in Japan: The Evolution of the Japanese Beer Industry.Vancouver, BC, Canada: UBC Press. p. 19.ISBN978-0-7748-2504-7.
  3. ^"The History of Kirin".Kirin Holdings Corporate History.Kirin Holdings.Retrieved7 July2014.
  4. ^NewsKirin Holdings. 2009
  5. ^Kirin Holdings Completes Acquisition of San Miguel Brewery SharesKirin Holdings. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  6. ^"E-Malt News article: Japan & China: Kirin Brewery in Hangzhou Qiandaohu Brewery Deal".e-malt.
  7. ^キリン: サントリーと kinh 営 thống hợp へ giao hồ - mỗi ngày jp( mỗi ngày tin tức )Archived2012-07-10 atarchive.todayMainichi Shimbun(Retrieved 13 July 2009)
  8. ^Termination of Merger Negotiation with KirinArchived2010-03-01 at theWayback MachineSuntory News Release(Retrieved 8 February 2010)
  9. ^H2 Acquires Agribio from Kirin,February 19, 2010
  10. ^"Asahi Plans Southeast Asia Takeovers, Seeking Wider Margins".Bloomberg News.14 December 2011.Retrieved16 December2011.
  11. ^"Kirin wins Schincariol takeover court case".BBC.12 October 2011.Retrieved4 February2014.
  12. ^"Kirin Buys Out Brazil's Schincariol, Completing Record Deal".Business Week.7 November 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 8 November 2011.
  13. ^"Schincariol Is Now Brasil Kirin".13 November 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 19 February 2013.
  14. ^"Home | Producers' Commitments".Producers' Commitments.Archived fromthe originalon 22 December 2015.Retrieved23 December2015.
  15. ^"Thai tycoons go for it in multi-billion deals".Investvine.4 February 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 12 February 2013.Retrieved15 March2013.
  16. ^Kim, Chang-Ran (16 July 2014)."Japan's Kirin pushes into craft beer to halt market share slide".Reuters.Retrieved24 July2014.
  17. ^van Tartwijk, Maarten (20 January 2017)."Heineken in Talks to Buy Kirin's Brazil Assets".The Wall Street Journal.New York.Retrieved22 January2017.
  18. ^"Kirin Pushes Expansion of Wellness Business in $1.2 Billion Deal".Bloomberg. 5 February 2018.
  19. ^"Kirin to Become Fancl's Top Shareholder".nippon.6 August 2019. Archived fromthe originalon 6 August 2019.Retrieved6 August2019.
  20. ^"Japan's Kirin exits Myanmar business with military-linked partner".Reuters.30 June 2022.Retrieved30 June2022.
  21. ^"Let's set the record straight: Blog: Brooklyn Brewery".The Brooklyn Brewery.Archived fromthe originalon 9 February 2019.Retrieved9 February2019.
  22. ^ab"Statement on the situation in Myanmar".Kirin Holdings.Retrieved5 June2021.
  23. ^"Kirin Holdings Reference 2009.5.22: Kirin Holdings Completes Acquisition of San Miguel Brewery Shares".Kirinholdings.co.jp.
  24. ^Denis Paiste (6 April 2007)."Moxie, same taste, new owner".New Hampshire Union Leader.Union Leader Corporation. p. B3.Retrieved25 November2007.
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related toKirin Holdings.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kirin_Company&oldid=1259518655"