Export of the craft gin Yatsushiro Distillery YATSU BOSHI to Australia begins, alongside exports to Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea

TOKYO, January, 30 2024 –Mercian Corporation (Mercian) began exporting Yatsushiro Distillery YATSU BOSHI, a craft gin made with precious Japanese citruses*1 produced in Kumamoto Prefecture, to Australia in January 2024. We also export the gin to Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea.

The global popularity of gin has increased in recent years, with sales expanding by about 40% over the five-year period from 2018 to 2022.*2 Australia, our new export destination, is the world’s 6th largest gin market,*3 and craft gin, the focus of which is the botanicals*4 used, ingredients, manufacturing method, and region of origin, is attracting particular interest.

In Australia, there is a strong perception that Japanese food is healthy*5, leading to the growth of interest in Japanese food as well as alcoholic beverages.　There is also a keen interest in Japanese culture itself, with the number of Australian visitors to Japan having increased for six consecutive years from 2014 to 2019,*6 amongst “Cool Japan” trend.
*1 Precious citruses unique to Japan: Banpeiyu, Aoyuzu, and Shiranui (Dekopon).
*2,3 IWSR drinks maket analysis 2022 Gin & Genever total retail value (including e-commerce).
*4 Botanical is a word that means plant-derived, and in this case refers to the raw materials used in gin.
*5 Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Basic information on agricultural, forestry, fishery, and food products marketing by country: Australia, June 2023.
*6 Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), Number of foreign visitors to Japan by nationality/month (2003-2023): we have compared figures from the 5 years that preceded the coronavirus pandemic.

Yatsushiro Distillery YATSU BOSHI is made using the shochu distillation technology of Yatsushiro Distillery. The botanicals used are precious Japanese citruses that are even unique in Japan are grown and carefully selected within Kumamoto Prefecture, the home of the Yatsushiro Distillery, achieving a refreshing yet complex flavor with a distinct Japaneseness characterisctics. Exporting a unique Japanese craft gin that goes well with Japanese food to the Australian market, will provide a new option to Australian customers.

In addition, the packaging was developed by the support of Four Pillars Ltd., a group company of Lion Pty Ltd (CEO Sam Fischer), which is responsible for the Kirin Group’s Oceania alcoholic beverage business. We have decided to use the bottle that we use for Shochu and the Japanese traditional washi paper for the label which expresses the identity of Japan.By exporting Yatsushiro Distillery YATSU BOSHI in contemporary packaging in line with the “Cool Japan” trend, we will communicate the value of Yatsushiro Distillery YATSU BOSHI to the world.

The Kirin Group has formulated a long-term management concept, “Kirin Group Vision 2027,” the focus of which is to address social issues in the areas of “health,” “community,” and “environment” based on the premise of taking “responsibility as an alcoholic beverage manufacturer” with the aim of “creating value in the areas of food and medicine and becoming a global leading CSV*7 company.” By exporting Yatsushiro Distillery YATSU BOSHI to Australia and other overseas markets, we will contribute to the revitalization of Yatsushiro City in Kumamoto Prefecture and further revitalize the Japanese gin market overseas.
*7 Creating Shared Value: combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.

Product Summary

About “Yatsushiro Distillery”

The distillery began operations in 1939 and has been producing shochu since 1963. Named after the local area, as hoped, it has become a top shochu distillery in the region with a taste that is recognized throughout the world.
In October 2021, received the “2021 Minister of the Environment’s Award for Achievement in Promoting a Recycling-Oriented Society” in recognition of its efforts to utilize shochu lees as livestock feed, and it is working with the local community to produce shochu in a sustainable manner.

About Yatsushiro Distillery YATSU BOSHI

・Yatsushiro Distillery YATSU BOSHI is made from three precious citruses harvested in Kumamoto: Aoyuzu, Shiranui, and Banpeiyu, which are rare overseas.
・By limiting the number of types of Japanese citrus fruits to three, we are able to bring out the true appeal of the ingredients.
・The distillation method is based on the knowledge gained from shochu production to bring out the best from each fruit, resulting in a refreshing yet complex flavor that is uniquely Japanese.

Collaboration with Four Pillars Ltd., to develop labels that incorporate the needs of overseas customers and information about the gin

・The label is made of Japanese paper and has a tear-off finish on the edges.
・The logo is instantly recognizable as Japanese, with a brightly colored but delicate touch of watercolor polka dots representing Japanese citrus fruits.
・The shochu bottle has a Japanese translucent finish, which is rare in other countries.
・The bottle has a luxurious black cap seal made of a Japanese paper-like material.
・The logo is in highly visible English letters so that it can be easily understood by overseas customers.

1. Product Name	Yatsushiro Distillery YATSU BOSHI
2. Contents/Container	700 ml bottle
3. Category	Spirits 43%
4. Release Date/Location	January 2024/Australia
5. Price	Open

About Kirin Holdings

Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is an international company that operates in the Food & Beverages domain (Food & Beverages businesses), Pharmaceuticals domain (Pharmaceuticals businesses), and Health Science domain (Health Science business), both in Japan and across the globe.

Kirin Holdings can trace its roots to Japan Brewery which was established in 1885. Japan Brewery became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, the company expanded its business with fermentation and biotechnology as its core technologies, and entered the pharmaceutical business in the 1980s, all of which continue to be global growth centers. In 2007, Kirin Holdings was established as a pure holding company and is currently focusing on boosting its Health Science domain.

Under the Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV 2027), a long-term management plan launched in 2019, the Kirin Group aims to become “A global leader in CSV*, creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals.” Going forward, the Kirin Group will continue to leverage its strengths to create both social and economic value through its businesses, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth in corporate value.

* Creating Shared Value: combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.

GALLERY