Sapporo may spend $1.5 bn on acquisitions, alliances

Sapporo Holdings, the Japanese brewer seeking to expand in North America, plans to spend as much as ¥125 billion ($1.5 billion) on acquisitions and partnerships over a four-year period.

The Yebisu and Sleeman maker aims to expand in North America, Southeast Asia and Japan, where it can build on existing businesses, incoming President Tsutomu Kamijo said in an interview in Tokyo. “More and more wealthy people are emerging in Southeast Asia,” he said. Sapporo, which plans to spend the amount between 2012 and 2016, is among Japanese brewers turning to overseas markets as a shrinking population dims domestic prospects. The 134-year-old company agreed this month to raise its stake in Pokka Corp to increase sales of non-alcoholic beverages and reduce reliance on alcoholic drinks, which generate almost 80 per cent of revenue.