{{Short description|Beer brewery in Japan}} {{Infobox company | name = Orion Breweries, Ltd. | logo = Orion Breweries company logo.svg | logo_size = 150px | native_name = オリオンビール株式会社 | native_name_lang = ja | type = Public | traded_as = {{tyo|409A}} | ISIN = | industry = Beverage | founded = {{Start date and age|1957|5|18}} | founder = Sosei Gushiken | hq_location_city = Tomigusuku, Okinawa Prefecture 901-0225 | hq_location_country = Japan | area_served = Japan<br>Asia<br>United States | image = Orion beer.jpg | image_size = 250px | key_people = Hajime Murano<br>(President and CEO) | products = {{unbulleted list|Beer|Soft drinks}} | num_employees = 295 (as of March 2021) | parent = Ocean Holdings Co., Ltd. | footnotes = <ref name="OBP">{{cite web |url=http://www.orionbeer.co.jp/company/outline.html |title=Company Profile |publisher=Orion Breweries |accessdate=January 22, 2016 |language=Japanese}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=5577627 |title=Company Overview |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |accessdate=January 22, 2016}}</ref><ref name="OJWU">{{cite web |url=http://www.japanupdate.com/archive/index.php?id=10485 |first=Charles |last=By |title=Orion beer quenches Okinawa thirst |date=July 22, 2010 |accessdate=January 22, 2016 |work=Weekly Japan Update}}</ref> | website = {{Official website|http://www.orionbeer.co.jp}} {{in lang|ja}} }}
{{nihongo|'''Orion Breweries, Ltd.'''|オリオンビール株式会社|Orion Bīru Kabushiki-gaisha|lead=yes}} is the fifth-largest beer brewery in Japan, headquartered in Tomigusuku, Okinawa Prefecture.<ref name="OBP"/> The company commands approximately 1% of the Japanese beer market, and 60% of the Okinawan beer market.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2002/09/14/national/okinawans-look-to-tackle-problems-on-own-terms |title=Okinawans look to tackle problems on own terms |first=Mayumi |last=Negishi |publisher=The Japan Times |date=September 14, 2002 |accessdate=January 22, 2016}}</ref>
==History== Founded in 1957 in Nago, Okinawa, during the US occupation of Okinawa, Orion began making beer in 1959. Orion struggled to compete with the other major Japanese breweries, but after changing from a German-style beer to an American-style beer, it gained the top share in the Okinawan market.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://okinawahai.com/2010/11/orion-beer-factory.html |title=Orion Beer Factory |work=Okinawa Hai |publisher=Overseas Yes! |last=Forte |first=Sarah |date=November 17, 2012 |accessdate=January 22, 2016}}</ref> Up until 2002, it had a market that was limited mostly to Okinawa. Since 2002, Orion partnered with Asahi Breweries to manufacture Asahi beers in Okinawa, in return for Asahi's assistance in selling Orion beer outside of Okinawa.<ref name="FSW">{{cite web |url=http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/education/japanese-beer-a-short-history-and-guide/c27578.aspx |title=Japanese Beer: A Short History and Guide |first=Eleanor |last=Frisch |work=FoodServiceWarehouse.com |publisher=FoodServiceWarehouse.com, LLC |date=August 20, 2015 |accessdate=January 22, 2016 |archive-date=July 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717094113/http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/education/japanese-beer-a-short-history-and-guide/c27578.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> Asahi owns 10% of Orion Breweries.<ref name="nikkei carlyle">[https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-deals/Nomura-and-Carlyle-to-acquire-Okinawa-s-Orion-Breweries Nomura and Carlyle to acquire Okinawa's Orion Breweries], ''Nikkei.com'', 18 January 2019</ref>
In January 2019, Nomura Holdings and The Carlyle Group entered talks to acquire Orion Breweries and help the beer brand expand in the US and Asia.<ref name="nikkei carlyle"/><ref>Natalie Wang, [https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2019/02/nomura-holding-and-carlyle-to-acquire-japans-orion-breweries/ Nomura Holding and Carlyle to acquire Japan’s Orion Breweries], ''Thedrinksbusiness.com'', 1 February 2019</ref> On May 14, 2019, Orion entered the chūhai market with the release of the WATTA chūhai brand, using traditional Okinawan flavors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.okinawa.org/blog/orion-beer-releases-first-chuhai-flavors.33/|title=Orion Beer Releases First Chuhai Flavors|website=Okinawa.Org|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-26}}</ref> In July 2019, Keiju Hayase was appointed president and CEO of Orion Breweries.<ref>[https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2019072201083/hayase-becomes-orion-breweries-president.html Hayase Becomes Orion Breweries President] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220718102948/https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2019072201083/hayase-becomes-orion-breweries-president.html |date=2022-07-18 }}, ''Nippon.com'', 22 July 2019</ref>
In 2020, Orion Breweries stopped the production and distribution of its 9% ABV beer, Watta Strong, in a move to fight alcoholism, the first major brewery in Japan to make a move in this direction.<ref>Yuta Hiratsuka, [https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200620/p2a/00m/0bu/016000c Japan brewer withdraws range of strong alcoholic drinks dubbed destructive by expert], ''Mainichi.jp'', 22 June 2020</ref><ref>Eriko Tamaki, [http://english.ryukyushimpo.jp/2020/05/03/31913/ Orion to cease production of 9% alcohol by volume “Watta Strong” chuhai due to health concerns], ''Ryukyushimpo.jp'', 23 April 2020</ref>
Keiju Hayase stepped down as president and CEO of Orion Breweries in June 2021 for personal reasons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Orion Breweries CEO Quits for Personal Reasons |url=https://sp.m.jiji.com/english/show/13244 |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=時事通信ニュース |language=ja}}</ref> Hajime Murano was appointed in his place in December 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ssnp |date=2021-12-01 |title=オリオンビール新社長に村野一氏、シック・ジャパン社長など歴任 |url=https://www.ssnp.co.jp/liquor/252290/ |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=食品産業新聞社ニュースWEB |language=ja}}</ref>
Orion Breweries became a public company in September 2025 through an initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tamura |first=Yasutaka |date=24 September 2025 |title=Carlyle-Backed Orion Breweries to Debut on Tokyo Stock Exchange |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-24/carlyle-backed-orion-breweries-to-debut-on-tokyo-stock-exchange |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251010072109/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-24/carlyle-backed-orion-breweries-to-debut-on-tokyo-stock-exchange |archive-date=2025-10-10 |access-date=2025-12-10 |work=Bloomberg News|language=en}}</ref>
==Description== Orion uses water that comes from springs out of the mountain near the brewery.<ref name="OJWU"/> The brewery imports its malt from Germany, and uses German Hallertau and Czech Saaz hops.<ref>[https://www.stripes.com/living/okinawa-s-orion-a-chance-to-sample-the-beer-of-beers-1.migrated Okinawa’s Orion: A chance to sample “The Beer of Beers”], ''Stripes.com'', 27 November 2005</ref> The brand is known by the US military personnel stationed in Okinawa. The company's sales outside of Japan make up 5% of its sales.<ref>Ou Ninouma, [https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-deals/Okinawa-s-most-popular-beer-taps-military-ties-to-US Okinawa's most popular beer taps military ties to US], ''Nikkei.com'', 19 January 2019</ref> In 2017, Orion Breweries recorded sales of 28.3 billion yen.<ref name="nikkei carlyle"/>
In South Korea, Orion beer is marketed under the brand name Okinawa.<ref>Choi Moon-hee, [http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=34341 Boycott of Japanese Products Causes Woes for Distributors], ''Businesskorea.co.kr'', 26 July 2019</ref>
Orion beer sponsors the Okinawan wrestler Menso-re Oyaji.<ref name="Gottlieb2">{{cite web |url=http://www.beerconnoisseur.com/orion-beer |title=Orion: The National Beer of Okinawa |last=Gottlieb |first=Matthew |date=September 7, 2010 |accessdate=August 16, 2011 |work=The Beer Connoisseur Online |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330211145/http://www.beerconnoisseur.com/orion-beer |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Akihito Yagi, 8th Dan in Meibukan Goju Ryu Karate-do, which his late grandfather (Meitoku Yagi) created, and the current chairman of the International Meibukan Goju Ryu Karate Association (IMGKA), is a spokesman for Orion beer.
== Products == * Draft beer * 75 Beer Premium Series Pilsner<ref>{{Cite web |title=Effort to establish a "Material Circle Society" in Okinawa, Japan |url=https://www.asean.or.jp/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/Orion-beer.pdf |website=ASEAN-Japan Centre |access-date=2023-08-07 |archive-date=2023-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807103207/https://www.asean.or.jp/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/Orion-beer.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> * 75 Beer Premium Series IPA * 75 Beer Craft Lager * 75 Beer Weizen
{{Gallery | title = Example products of Orion Breweries | mode = packed | height = 150 | align = center | OrionBeer.jpg | Orion Premium Draft poured into an Orion-branded cup (2006) | Orion Premium Draft Beer, 633 mL bottle as sold in Canada.jpg | 633 mL bottle of Orion Premium Draft (2025) | Orion 75 Pilsner Beer.jpg | A 350 mL can of Orion's Pilsner Beer (2023) }}
==In popular culture== In one episode of ''Wakakozake'', the main character Wakako tries out different restaurants to pair foods with drinks, and pairs goya chanpuru with Orion beer.<ref>Vanessa Rose, [https://www.cbr.com/food-anime-real-brands/ 10 Food-Based Anime That Feature Real-Life Brands], ''Cbr.com'', 7 May 2021</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|Japan|Beer|Companies}} * [http://www.orionbeer.co.jp/ Orion official site] {{in lang|ja}} * [https://www.orionbeer.co.jp/en/ Orion official site] {{in lang|en}}
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Category:Beer brands of Japan Category:Beer in Japan Category:Breweries in Japan Category:Japanese brands Category:Companies based in Okinawa Prefecture Category:Food and drink companies established in 1957 Category:Japanese companies established in 1957 Category:2025 initial public offerings Category:Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange