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Suntory Group has launched a new water replenishment initiative in Queensland’s Brisbane River catchment as part of its wider global water stewardship strategy, alongside a new research partnership with Australian Rivers Institute at Griffith University.
The initiative will focus on restoring waterways and supporting long-term water sustainability in the Brisbane region, where increasing population growth and climate pressures have heightened concerns around drought and water scarcity.
The programme will begin in May 2026 and aims to replenish more water than Suntory’s Swanbank Beverage Facility uses annually. Planned projects include waterway restoration, riparian planting, irrigation optimisation and crop rotation improvements, delivered in collaboration with local communities.
Suntory said the move builds on the roll-out of its Mizuiku environmental education programme in Australia last year and forms part of its broader environmental commitments under its 2050 Environmental Vision.
Jun Asaki, chief sustainability officer at Suntory Holdings, said: “Suntory recognises that water is a local resource, and we are committed to be a positive force in promoting healthy water cycles in the regions in which we operate".
He added that the company would work with local partners and communities to develop “science-based approaches” tailored to the region’s specific water challenges.
The Brisbane River catchment was selected due to its strategic importance to the region’s water supply and the location of Suntory Oceania’s Swanbank production facility nearby. The company said Brisbane’s efforts to become a “water smart city” through its Total Water Cycle Management Plan also aligned with the initiative’s objectives.
Alongside the replenishment programme, Suntory has entered a three-year partnership with Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute to support research into the effects of climate change on water quality and availability.
The collaboration will combine local field data from the Brisbane catchment project with ecohydrological modelling and water flow analysis, with the aim of supporting future water management and restoration strategies.
Dai Minato, CEO of Suntory Beverage & Food Oceania, said the partnership reflects the company’s long-standing sustainability commitments.
“For more than 125 years, Suntory has been growing for good,” he said. “By working together, we can safeguard water for communities and for future generations.”
Professor David Hamilton, director of ARI, said rivers, lakes and reservoirs act as “the canary in the coal mine” for environmental stress linked to human activity and climate change.
Australia becomes the eighth country to host Suntory water source initiatives, following programmes launched in Japan and other international markets over the past two decades.