Asahi Group Holdings has recently announced a continued decline in sales from its food division, although there are signs of improvement in the trend. The company’s food business in Japan reported sales in December at “in the mid 90%” of the figures from the same month in 2024.
Previously, during its November report, Asahi noted that its food division’s sales were “around” 90% of the sales recorded in November 2024. In October, the figures were “in the mid 70%” compared to the previous year.
Compounding these issues, Asahi encountered a cyberattack at the end of September, resulting in a “systems failure” that disrupted production and distribution within its domestic operations. Fortunately, the company’s factories resumed operations just a week later.
Moreover, Asahi experienced a significant drop in sales within its alcohol sector in December. Specifically, revenue from the Asahi Breweries division fell by more than 20% compared to the same month in 2024. In a statement released on 15 January, the brewer reported that preliminary revenue for December “was in the upper 70% year-on-year.”
Sales during the October to December period declined at a similar rate, with the group confirming preliminary revenue “was in the low 80%” of the total recorded in the same timeframe last year. Asahi intends to disclose the complete sales figures for its Japanese operations “once the systems are fully restored.”
Similarly, the soft drinks division, which produces popular brands such as Calpis and Wanda, faced a decline in sales exceeding 20% year-on-year in December. However, the revenue for this unit showed slight improvement compared to November, when it recorded “in the mid 70%” of sales compared to the same month in 2024.
Additionally, in November, Asahi indicated that nearly two million individuals might have had their personal data compromised as a result of the cyberattack in Japan. About 1.5 million of those potentially affected were customers who interacted with the customer service centers of Asahi Breweries, Asahi Soft Drinks, and Asahi Group Foods, all operating in Japan’s domestic market.
