Asahi Group to launch start-up investment fund in US

Asahi Group Holdings has established an investment management company, Asahi Group Beverages & Innovation, in San Francisco, US.

From January 2023, Asahi will begin to manage a start-up investment fund, Asahi Group Beverages & Innovation Fund. The company plans to make minority investments in US start-ups, facilitating sustainable growth of existing businesses within the beer category, while expanding into new areas.

Atsushi Katsuki, president and CEO at Asahi Group Holdings, said: “In addition to its size, the US is one of the most attractive markets in the world for creating new trends. We look forward to co-creating with start-ups that will open up new markets for alcohol and non-alcohol beverages. We aim to ‘deliver on our great taste promise and bring more fun to life’ by grasping new trends in the US and creating new value.”

The fund will provide funding to US start-ups that have “attractive brands” with significant future growth potential in the non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages, adult soft drink beverages and low-alcohol categories, as well as start-ups with technology that leads to new sales and manufacturing methods. Asahi will use its business platform to support the expansion of sales in the US and abroad for the products and services provided by such companies.

Total investment is expected to be approximately $70 million by the end of 2025. The investment managers of Asahi Group Beverages & Innovation will consist of employees appointed from Asahi Group’s regional headquarters.