Ambev
Ambev Launches Alcohol-Free Skol Zero Zero
Ambev chose Brazil's Carnival season to introduce Skol Zero Zero, a non-alcoholic, sugar-free and gluten-free beer containing 12 calories per 350ml can. It follows strong growth in the company's non-alcoholic beer segment, which rose 30% in 2025 and 43% in Q4 versus the year-ago periods. Ambev's broader financials were mixed, with full-year 2025 net profit up 7.7% but Q4 net profit down 9.9% and net revenue falling 8.2%, pressured by lower volumes and currency hedging costs.
Asahi
Asahi Restores Deliveries After Ransomware Attack
Asahi Group Holdings says its product distribution is back to normal following a ransomware attack last September that caused system failures and suspended operations. Order-to-delivery time now matches pre-attack levels. Asahi says it is still prioritizing shipments of popular beer varieties and limiting other products, with full normalization expected by April. Its beer sales in January 2026 fell 11% versus January last year, a decline the company attributes to the disruptions caused by the cyberattack.
Brands
Asahi Launches Flavored Peroni 0.0% Variants In UK
Asahi UK is rolling out two flavored variants of Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% in the UK. Limone di Sicilia and Arancia Rossa come in 4x33cl can-packs initially through Tesco, with on-premise distribution in Pizza Express starting soon. Asahi UK says Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% commands a price premium of 29% against the broader alcohol-free beer category. Marketing plans include a presence at the British Summer Time outdoor concert series in London.
Britvic
PepsiCo's Poppi Soda Launches In UK Via Carlsberg Britvic
Carlsberg Britvic is launching the US prebiotic soda brand poppi in the UK in March 2026 under its bottling agreement with PepsiCo, which acquired poppi for $1.95 billion in 2025. Poppi soda is low in sugar and calories, high in fiber and contains real fruit juice. It will be available in five flavors in 330ml cans sold individually and in four-packs. Initial launch is through Tesco and Pret, with wider retail distribution planned later in the year. Carlsberg Britvic is producing the drink locally for the UK market.
Carlsberg
Carlsberg Hong Kong Builds Out Alcohol-Free Portfolio
Carlsberg Hong Kong managing director Nathaniel Moxom says the company is expanding its no- and low-alcohol range following double-digit growth of Carlsberg 0.0 since its Hong Kong launch just over a year ago. The current portfolio includes Erdinger Alkoholfrei, Poretti Zero, Tetley's Original Bitter, Jolly Shandy Lemon, Carlsberg 0.0 and two Young Master Brewery products added after a distribution agreement last September. Its Beyond Beer range adds RTD beverages and mixers. Moxom says awareness of no- and low-alcohol products in Asia remains at an early stage compared with the US, Europe and Australia, and Carlsberg Hong Kong sees room to grow through sports venue and retail partnerships.
Companies
Asahi Reports Mixed Overseas Financial Performance
Asahi Group Holdings reported mixed overseas results for 2025. European revenue fell 2.5% on poor weather in central and eastern Europe and weak consumer demand in Poland, but core operating profit in the region grew at a low single-digit rate. Asia-Pacific revenue was up 3.7%, but operations in Japan were most severely affected by the cyberattack, with Asahi Breweries' Japan sales falling more than 15% in Q4.
Suntory Beverage & Food Invests GBP25M In UK Factory
Suntory Beverage & Food will invest £25 million for a new manufacturing line at its Coleford facility in south-west England, its only UK and Ireland production site. Construction is set to begin in 2026, with commissioning expected early next year. The new line will replace two existing Ribena production lines and will run both concentrate and RTD formats on a single line. It will also manufacture Lucozade products.
Carlsberg Explores $700 Million IPO For India Unit
Carlsberg appointed Kotak Mahindra Capital, JPMorgan and Citigroup to advise on a potential IPO for its India business. It could raise up to $700 million and a draft prospectus could be filed as early as May, with a listing potentially taking place later in the year. Carlsberg India holds approximately 22% of the Indian beer market and is the country's second-largest brewer, with reported revenue of around 90 billion rupees for the fiscal year ended March 2025.
Carlsberg Reports Higher Profits But Lower Organic Volumes
Carlsberg’s 22.7% increase in operating profit in 2025 was aided by its £3.3 billion acquisition of Britvic. Integration synergies are ahead of plan, with approximately 30% of the projected £110 million in savings already realized. Total revenues rose 18.8% and overall volumes grew 17.7% year on year, but organic volumes dipped 0.6%, largely due to the loss of its contract to brew and distribute San Miguel in the UK.
Lotte
Lotte Chilsung Signs Beverage Deal With Gangwon FC
Lotte Chilsung Beverage signed an official beverage sponsorship agreement with South Korean soccer club Gangwon FC for the 2026 season. Gangwon FC will promote Lotte Chilsung products through stadium LED boards, the club's website and social media. Lotte Chilsung will supply the team with bottled water brand Isis, sports drink Gatorade and protein drink Oatmond Protein for training and match operations. Pepsi will also be made available to fans attending home games during the summer.
Lotte Chilsung Renews Saereo Zero Sugar Soju
Lotte Chilsung Beverage relaunched its zero-sugar soju brand Saereo, three years after its initial introduction. Now at 15.7% ABV, the reformulated product incorporates 100% rice distilled liquor from domestic Korean rice and five amino acids. Cumulative sales exceed 800 million bottles since launch. A new advertising campaign featuring creator Calm Man, who has 3.09 million YouTube subscribers, uses a comedic format to communicate the product changes. Additional marketing activities are planned during the spring season, including pop-up stores.
Lotte Chilsung 2025 Profit Falls On One-Off Costs
South Korean beverage company Lotte Chilsung Beverage reported a 14.7% drop in net profit for 2025, attributing the decline to one-off staff-related costs in the fourth quarter. Operating profit fell 9.6% and total sales declined 1.3%, reflecting sluggish domestic demand and reduced sales through convenience stores and restaurants. Lotte plans to launch new food-pairing soft drinks this year and expand its non-alcoholic product range.
Suntory
Suntory Alcohol Sales Dip Amid Challenging Markets
Suntory reported a 0.4% decline in alcohol sales in 2025, citing a challenging consumer environment in the US and Europe and the 2024 divestiture of the Courvoisier Cognac brand. Total group revenue rose 0.4%, supported by a 2% increase in the beverages and food segment. Operating income fell 42.9%, partly on the Courvoisier sale. Spirits sales declined, while beer and wine each grew 2%. For 2026, Suntory forecasts total revenue growth of 4.3% and over 26% improvement in operating income.
More...
Copyright 2026 Business360, Inc.