Suntory
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese brewing and distilling company group. Established in 1899, it is one of the oldest companies in the distribution of alcoholic beverage
s in Japan. Its business has expanded to other fields, and the company now offers everything from soft drink
s to sandwich
chains. Suntory is headquartered in Dojimahama 2-chome
, Kita-ku
, Osaka
, Osaka prefecture
.
On July 14, 2009, Kirin
announced that it is negotiating with Suntory on a merger. On February 8, 2010, it was announced that negotiations between the two were terminated.
Suntory was started by Torii Shinjiro, who first opened his store Torii Shoten in Osaka
on February 1, 1899, to sell imported wine
s. In 1907, the store began selling a sweet tasting red wine called Akadama Port Wine. The store became the Kotobukiya company in 1921 to further expand its business. In December 1924, Yamazaki Distillery
, the first Japanese whisky
distillery, began its production of malt whisky. Five years later Suntory Whisky
Sirofuda (White Label), the first single malt whisky made in Japan, was sold.
Due to wartime shortage of World War II
, Kotobukiya was briefly forced to halt its development of new products. In 1961, Kotobukiya launched the famous "Drink Tory's (Whisky) and Go to Hawaii
" campaign. At the time, a trip abroad was considered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In 1963, Kotobukiya changed its name to "Suntory", taken from the name of the famous whisky it produces. In the same year, Musashino Beer Factory began its production of the Suntory Beer. In 1997, the company became Japan
's sole bottler, distributor, and licensee of Pepsi
products.
On April 1, 2009, Suntory became a stockholding company named "" and established "", "", "", "", "", "", and "".
From the early 1990s, Suntory has collaborated extensively with Melbourne biotechnology firm Florigene
to genetically engineer the world's first true blue rose
, a symbol often associated with the impossible or unattainable. In 1991, the team won the intense global race to isolate the gene responsible for blue flowers, and has since developed a range of genetically modified flowers expressing colors in the blue spectrum, as well as a number of other breakthroughs extending the vase life
of cut flowers.
In 2003, Suntory acquired a 98.5% equity holding in Florigene. Prior to this, Florigene had been a subsidiary of global agrochemicals giant Nufarm Limited since 1999. In July 2004, Suntory and Florigene scientists announced to the world the development of the first roses containing blue pigment, an important step toward the creation of a truly blue colored rose.
In July 2011, Suntory Beverage and Food Limited together with PT GarudaFood from Indonesia
have agreed to make a new firm to produce non-alcoholic drink with 51 percent and 49 percent shares respectively. It will produce Suntory Ooolong Tea, Boss and Orangina.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese brewing and distilling company group. Established in 1899, it is one of the oldest companies in the distribution of alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
s in Japan. Its business has expanded to other fields, and the company now offers everything from soft drink
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
s to sandwich
Sandwich
A sandwich is a food item, typically consisting of two or more slices of :bread with one or more fillings between them, or one slice of bread with a topping or toppings, commonly called an open sandwich. Sandwiches are a widely popular type of lunch food, typically taken to work or school, or...
chains. Suntory is headquartered in Dojimahama 2-chome
Japanese addressing system
The Japanese addressing system is used to identify a specific location in Japan. In Japanese, addresses are written using the opposite convention from Western addresses, starting with the biggest geographical entities down to the more specific ones....
, Kita-ku
Kita-ku, Osaka
is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan.-Economy:West Japan Railway Company has its headquarters in Kita-ku. Nihon Bussan has its headquarters in Kita-ku. Dentsu and Yomiuri Shimbun have branch offices in Kita-ku. Mazda has an office in the Umeda Sky Building Tower East. Air France has an office on the...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Osaka prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...
.
On July 14, 2009, Kirin
Kirin Brewery Company
is a Japanese company. It is a member of the Mitsubishi keiretsu.-Overview:Kirin sells two of the most popular beers in Japan, Kirin Lager--the country's oldest beer brand--and Ichiban Shibori. In the happoshu category, Kirin Tanrei is the top seller. Kirin handles domestic distribution for...
announced that it is negotiating with Suntory on a merger. On February 8, 2010, it was announced that negotiations between the two were terminated.
History
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
on February 1, 1899, to sell imported wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
s. In 1907, the store began selling a sweet tasting red wine called Akadama Port Wine. The store became the Kotobukiya company in 1921 to further expand its business. In December 1924, Yamazaki Distillery
Yamazaki Distillery
is a Japanese whisky distillery located in Shimamoto, Osaka, owned by Suntory. It was opened in 1923 and was Japan's first whisky distillery. Seven thousand bottles of unblended malt whisky are on display in the "Whisky Library".- History :...
, the first Japanese whisky
Japanese whisky
Whisky production in Japan began around 1870, but the first commercial production was in 1924 upon the opening of the country's first distillery, Yamazaki...
distillery, began its production of malt whisky. Five years later Suntory Whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
Sirofuda (White Label), the first single malt whisky made in Japan, was sold.
Due to wartime shortage of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Kotobukiya was briefly forced to halt its development of new products. In 1961, Kotobukiya launched the famous "Drink Tory's (Whisky) and Go to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
" campaign. At the time, a trip abroad was considered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In 1963, Kotobukiya changed its name to "Suntory", taken from the name of the famous whisky it produces. In the same year, Musashino Beer Factory began its production of the Suntory Beer. In 1997, the company became Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's sole bottler, distributor, and licensee of Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
products.
On April 1, 2009, Suntory became a stockholding company named "" and established "", "", "", "", "", "", and "".
Holdings
- Cerebos Pacific Ltd
- Château Lagrange S.A.SChâteau LagrangeChâteau Lagrange is a winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. Château Lagrange is also the name of the red wine produced by this property...
- Florigene Pty LtdFlorigeneFlorigene is a biotechnology company based in Melbourne, Australia, which is principally involved in the application of in-house genetic modification techniques to develop novel colour expressions in a range of commercial plants....
- Frucor Beverages LimitedFrucorFrucor is a private Australasian beverage company headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand. Frucor is the market leader in energy drinks throughout Australasia and the second-largest non-alcoholic drinks company in New Zealand...
- Gold Knoll Ltd
- Grupo Restaurante Suntory Mexico
- Louis Royer S.A.S
- Morrison Bowmore Distillers, Limited
- OranginaOranginaOrangina is a carbonated citrus beverage made from orange, lemon, mandarin, and grapefruit juice. The concept of Orangina originated at a trade fair in France and was first marketed in Algeria by the French Algerian Léon Beton...
- Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC
- Subway Japan
- Tipco F&B Co., Ltd
Joint ventures
Florigene
Florigene is a biotechnology company based in Melbourne, Australia, which is principally involved in the application of in-house genetic modification techniques to develop novel colour expressions in a range of commercial plants....
to genetically engineer the world's first true blue rose
Blue rose
Blue roses, often portrayed in literature and art as a symbol of love and prosperity to those who seek it, do not exist in nature as a result of genetic limitations being imposed upon natural variance. Traditionally, white roses have been dyed blue to produce a blue appearance. In 2004, researchers...
, a symbol often associated with the impossible or unattainable. In 1991, the team won the intense global race to isolate the gene responsible for blue flowers, and has since developed a range of genetically modified flowers expressing colors in the blue spectrum, as well as a number of other breakthroughs extending the vase life
Vase life
Vase life is the period of time during which a cut flower or cut foliage retains its appearance in a vase. This is a major consideration in identifying plant species suitable for use in the cut flower industry, plants with a long vase life being far more desirable than those with a short vase life....
of cut flowers.
In 2003, Suntory acquired a 98.5% equity holding in Florigene. Prior to this, Florigene had been a subsidiary of global agrochemicals giant Nufarm Limited since 1999. In July 2004, Suntory and Florigene scientists announced to the world the development of the first roses containing blue pigment, an important step toward the creation of a truly blue colored rose.
In July 2011, Suntory Beverage and Food Limited together with PT GarudaFood from Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
have agreed to make a new firm to produce non-alcoholic drink with 51 percent and 49 percent shares respectively. It will produce Suntory Ooolong Tea, Boss and Orangina.
Media and advertising
- Suntory and its various products, are featured in the Ryū ga Gotoku/Yakuza series of games.
- Suntory was one of the first Asian companies to specifically employ American celebrities to market their product. One of the most notable is Sammy Davis, Jr.Sammy Davis, Jr.Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
, who appeared in a series of memorable Suntory commercials in the early 1970s. In the late 1970s, Akira KurosawaAkira Kurosawawas a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
directed a famous series of commercials featuring American celebrities on the set of his film KagemushaKagemushais a 1980 film by Akira Kurosawa. The title is a term used for an impersonator. It is set in the Warring States era of Japanese history and tells the story of a lower-class criminal who is taught to impersonate a dying warlord in order to dissuade opposing lords from attacking the newly vulnerable...
. One of these featured Francis Ford CoppolaFrancis Ford CoppolaFrancis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
(an executive producer of the film), which later inspired his daughter Sofia CoppolaSofia CoppolaSofia Carmina Coppola is an American screenwriter, film director, actress, and producer.In 2003 she received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Lost in Translation, and became the third woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Directing...
in her writing of Lost in TranslationLost in Translation (film)Lost in Translation is a 2003 American film written and directed by Sofia Coppola; her second feature film after The Virgin Suicides and it stars Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson...
, a film which focuses on an AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
filming a Suntory commercial in TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. - A ReutersReutersReuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
photo by Toshiyuki Aizawa from July 2003 showed Suntory's unusual marketingMarketingMarketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
strategy of TV helmets. In this scheme, advertising company employees clad in orange jumpsuits wear televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
s that broadcast wide-screen digital feeds of the brewing company's commercial on top of their helmets. - Suntory operates two museums, the Suntory Museum of Art in Tokyo and the Suntory Museum Tempozan in Osaka, in addition to a number of cultural and social programs across Japan.
- Suntory produced several drinks under the name "Final Fantasy Potion", named for the weakest and most common healing item in the game, each were released in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
only for a limited time to promote the release of the Square EnixSquare Enixis a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
game Final Fantasy XIIFinal Fantasy XIIis a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the Final Fantasy series and the last in the series to be released exclusively on the PlayStation platform...
, the 10th Anniversary of Final Fantasy VIIFinal Fantasy VIIis a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...
, and the release of Dissida Final Fantasy, which comes in two varieties. Each drink is different despite sharing the name. For the release of Final Fantasy XIII the Potion name was abandoned and replaced with Elixir, an item which typically heals one party member fully and restores all MP. - There is a top Japanese rugby club called the Suntory SungoliathSuntory SungoliathSuntory Sungoliath is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus...
owned by the Suntory company. - In the 1970s, Suntory engaged US pop group, the CarpentersThe CarpentersCarpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
, to advertise its new line of soft drinks. - Suntory is a former sponsor of the professional match play golf tournamentHSBC World Match Play ChampionshipThe Volvo World Match Play Championship is the current name of an annual match play men's professional golf tournament. From 2009 the event has been played at the Finca Cortesín Golf Club in Casares near Málaga, Spain, having previously been played at Wentworth Club near London...
played annually at Wentworth Club, near London. - Suntory Kakubin is featured in an episode of the 2006 anime series BartenderBartender (manga)is a Japanese manga series written by Araki Joh and illustrated by Kenji Nagatomo. Its focus is a genius bartender who uses his talents to ease the worries and soothe the souls of troubled customers. The manga was first serialized in the Japanese manga magazine Super Jump. The manga was later...
entitled "Menu of the Heart." - In the 2000s, to advertise its The Premium Malt's beer, there has been a series of television ads featuring Eikichi YazawaEikichi Yazawais an influential Japanese singer-songwriter, and important figure in Japanese popular music.Yoko Yazawa of The Generous is his daughter.-Biography:...
and various versions of the title song of Shall We Dance?Shall We Dance?Shall We Dance? is a reality dance competition TV program in TV5 hosted by "Asia's Dance Goddess," Lucy Torres-Gomez....
.
Alcoholic drinks
- Beers
- Malt's
- The Premium Malt's
- RumRumRum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
- Whiskies
- Chita
- Hibiki
- Kaku-bin
- Red
- Reserve
- Royal
- Tory's
- White
- YamazakiYamazaki Distilleryis a Japanese whisky distillery located in Shimamoto, Osaka, owned by Suntory. It was opened in 1923 and was Japan's first whisky distillery. Seven thousand bottles of unblended malt whisky are on display in the "Whisky Library".- History :...
- Liqueurs
- MidoriMidori liqueurMidori is a bright, green-coloured, muskmelon-flavored cordial made by Suntory. It is manufactured in Japan, Mexico and France, though it was made only in Japan until 1987. It was first concocted in 1978, with a launch party held in New York's famous Studio 54....
- Zen
- Aki (Discontinued in 1988)
- Midori
Soft drinks
- BikkleBikkleBikkle is a Japanese yogurt-based drink. Produced by Japanese drink giant Suntory, it can be found in vending machines for 100-120 Yen and also at convenience stores and supermarkets...
- Boss CoffeeBoss Coffeeis a brand name of canned and plastic bottled coffee and coffee-flavored beverages sold by Suntory in Japan. It was released in 1992 and is one of many brands of Japanese Canned Coffee....
- C.C. LemonC.C. LemonC.C. Lemon is a Japanese soft drink created by Suntory. It is known for its lemon flavor and for its advertisements featuring characters from the popular American cartoon The Simpsons.-Sizes:...
- Pepsi NEX
- Iced Oolong TeaOolongOolong is a traditional Chinese tea produced through a unique process including withering under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties...
- Mizone
- Natchan
- OranginaOranginaOrangina is a carbonated citrus beverage made from orange, lemon, mandarin, and grapefruit juice. The concept of Orangina originated at a trade fair in France and was first marketed in Algeria by the French Algerian Léon Beton...
- Dakara
Food for specified health uses (FOSHU)
The following drinks were approved as Food for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU).- Black Oolong Tea
- Calcium and Iron BeverageCalcium and Iron Beverageis a soft drink produced in Japan by Suntory group.- Outline :The Japanese name of the product, Tekkotsu Inryo, is a pun that reads both as Steel-Frame Drink and Iron-Bone Drink. When it is interpreted as Iron-Bone Drink by separating its first two kanji, it indicates the nature of the drink...
- Sesame Barley Tea
See also
- Suntory SungoliathSuntory SungoliathSuntory Sungoliath is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus...
rugby team - champions of the 2007-08 Top League (fifth season) - Suntory Mermaid IISuntory Mermaid IIThe Suntory Mermaid II is a 9.5-metre, 3-tonne catamaran driven by wave power. It features two fin tails which absorb wave energy and generate thrust by moving up and down with the motion of the boat...
- Wave powerWave powerWave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves, and the capture of that energy to do useful work — for example, electricity generation, water desalination, or the pumping of water...
ed catamaranCatamaranA catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...