Regional Revitalization

Creating New Businesses in Partnership with Local Communities

Sapporo Breweries leverages its long-standing expertise in supporting retail stores and restaurants to work with local governments to address regional revitalization challenges.

Specifically, we contribute to increasing local sales through the following support initiatives:

Sales Channel Expansion Support: Matching food producers (suppliers) with restaurants and retailers (buyers)
Promotional Support: Developing menus featuring local ingredients and hosting special events
Sales Capacity Building: Conducting training sessions for producers

Centered on these initiatives, we are revitalizing the entire region and increasing sales for local businesses.

Specific Examples of Problem Solving

Matching Buyers and Suppliers
Organizing fairs
Strategy Development
Export Support
Seminar Support
Proposals for Food-Based Tourism

Sustainability and Mutual Prosperity with Local Communities

Case Study: Bringing Kochi’s Delicious Fish to the Nation: Promotion Project to Showcase the Appeal of Kochi Seafood and Expand Sales Channels

Kochi Marine Products Attractiveness and Sales Channel Expansion Promotion Project

In fiscal years 2023 and 2024, we supported the expansion of sales channels for Kochi Prefecture’s seafood products for two consecutive years. Here, we introduce initiatives carried out in collaboration with local governments, producers, and restaurants.

We implemented a project in partnership with Kochi Prefecture to promote the appeal of Kochi’s seafood beyond the prefecture. As part of the expansion of the “Kochi Seafood Support Stores”* initiative, we leveraged the Sapporo Group’s network and expertise to conduct sales activities targeting participating stores and facilitate matchmaking with seafood producers in Kochi Prefecture.

Over the past two years, we have secured over 600 new registrations for participating restaurants. Transaction volume has grown by 170 million yen to 540 million yen, contributing to the local economy.

The participating restaurants have given the initiative high praise, noting that it “helps them discover Kochi Prefecture’s rich array of ingredients.” We firmly believe that connecting producers with restaurants and growing their fan base leads to sustainable regional support.

We will continue to devote our full efforts to solving local challenges and revitalizing the region.

* A program open not only to restaurants using ingredients from Kochi Prefecture, but also to businesses supporting Kochi Prefecture

Producers’ Voices

By hosting business matchmaking events and farm tours, and by fostering face-to-face relationships between food service companies nationwide and local businesses in the prefecture, awareness of Kochi Prefecture products and the number of reliable transactions are steadily increasing. Thanks to these efforts, business opportunities for us producers are expanding. We ask for your continued support in promoting Kochi Prefecture products
.

Mr. Norihiko Yoshimura Director (Member of the Board)
Yoriki Suisan Co., Ltd.

Comments from Kochi Prefecture Representatives

Sapporo Breweries supports the sales activities of local businesses through the “Kochi Fish Support Stores” initiative, including hosting Kochi fairs nationwide, organizing farm tours, and holding business matchmaking events.Thanks to their support, the number of registered “Kochi Fish Support Stores” and the transaction volume between local businesses and these stores have expanded significantly over the past two years.
Sapporo Breweries’ network, sales capabilities, and meticulous support are highly regarded by local businesses. Kochi Prefecture will continue to work in tandem with Sapporo Breweries’ regional development initiatives to further expand sales of our local products, and we look forward to your continued cooperation.

Ryosuke Hamamachi Senior Officer, Marine Products Sales Office,
Fisheries Promotion Division,
Fisheries Promotion Department,
Kochi Prefecture

Solving Regional Challenges by Leveraging In-House Resources

Initiatives at YEBISU BREWERY TOKYO — The tasting platters and exquisite Yebisu signage served at YEBISU BREWARY TOKYO are made from wood sourced in Kochi Prefecture, which boasts the largest forest area in Japan. We also visit the producers’ woodworking shops. Artisans carefully craft each piece by hand, making the most of the unique characteristics of the wood.

Creating Experiences That Go Beyond Ingredients to Embrace Culture

When connecting foodservice companies with local communities, we focus not just on “delivering ingredients,” but on creating experiences that allow customers to feel the region’s charm firsthand.

The concerns producers often have—such as “I can only produce this much” or “It’s only available during this season”—can become “value that’s only available right now” in the restaurant industry. To bridge this gap in perspective, we engage in “value translation”: we package the value of the region into a format that restaurants can easily handle and convert it into language that resonates with customers.

Regional cuisine encompasses not only the ingredients themselves but also the seasonings, cooking methods, tools, and the historical and cultural context behind them. By conveying all of these elements, we enable customers to experience the region’s appeal not merely as “information” but as a “living experience.”

For example, our group company, Sapporo Lion, goes beyond simply describing ingredients; through food fairs, they communicate the background of regional food culture to customers.

Our goal is not simply to “promote the region’s appeal,” but to create more entry points that make people think, “I’m curious about this region,” through experience. By gradually building upon these experiences in the memories of everyone involved, we aim to foster a connection with the region.