Businessweek

Kirin Holdings Company, Limited manufactures food and beverage products in Asia and Oceania. The company’s businesses range from alcohol beverages and soft drinks to dairy foods, health foods, and pharmaceuticals. The company also has operations in other sectors of alcohol beverages market in Japan, including shochu, chu-hi and other ready-to-drink (RTD) products, whisky, spirits, and liqueurs. It owns interests in breweries and distilleries in various countries, including Australia, China, and the United States. Pharmaceutical Business Kirin Pharma Co., Ltd. develops a series of drugs, focusing in particular on specialized areas, such as cancer, kidney, and immunity/infection diseases. In October 2008, Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. was established through the merger of Kirin Pharma and Kyowa Hakko Group. Alcohol Business Kirin Brewery offers a range of alcohol beverages and spirits. Its products include Tanrei W, a happo-shu that has 99% less purine and contains wine polyphenol for a tastier flavor; and Kirin Free, the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage that achieves 0.00% alcohol with a new method that prevents the generation of alcohol. Soft Drinks and Foods Business The company’s primary focus in this area is on its main brands, which include Kirin Gogo-no-Kocha, the Kirin tea, the Kirin Fire series of coffees, and Kirin Namacha green tea. Koiwai Dairy Products Co., Ltd. provides dairy products; Kirin Tropicana Inc. provides Tropicana 100% Juice; and Kirin MC Danone Waters Co., Ltd. provides the imported mineral water Volvic and the ionized alkaline mineral water Kirin Alkali-Ion-no-Mizu. Other Businesses The Kirin Agribio Group develops a range of floral and potato varieties. The company provides other floral products that include cut-flower roses and gerbera daisies. Kyowa Hakko Chemical Co., Ltd. delivers products that serve the environment in three distinct sectors – basic chemicals, functional materials, and electronic materials. History Kirin Holdings Company, Limited was founded in 1907.