System Failure Forces Suspension of Shipments
Japan’s largest brewer, Asahi Group Holdings, is reeling from a cyber-attack that has halted its domestic operations and sparked fears of a nationwide beer shortage. The incident, which began on 29 September 2025, has disrupted order processing, shipping, and call center services, affecting its ability to deliver products across the country.
Though all 30 of its domestic plants may not be fully offline, many are idle due to the breakdown of logistics systems.
Beer Shortage Already Evident
- Retailers and bars report dwindling stocks of Asahi Super Dry, the brand’s flagship lager. Some restaurants have begun substituting rival brands like Kirin or Sapporo.
- Convenience store chains, including Lawson, FamilyMart and 7-Eleven, warned that Asahi products will likely run out soon.
- One Tokyo izakaya said it was down to its last keg of Super Dry, and its supplier had already delivered a substitute brand.
Because beer is perishable and maintains relatively low inventory buffers, even a few days of disruption can quickly translate into empty shelves across Japan.
What Asahi Says & What’s Unknown
Asahi has confirmed the cyber incident is confined to its Japanese operations and that its overseas operations—including in Europe—are unaffected.
The company says there is no confirmed leakage of personal or customer data so far.
But it has not provided a timeline for restoring full operations. The systems failure impedes logistical and order systems, making shipment and distribution impossible until resolved.
The nature of the attack is unconfirmed, though analysts suggest a ransomware or file-encrypting payload could be involved, given the scale of system disruption.
Broader Implications & Concerns
- Supply chain fragility: This incident highlights how modern beverage production and distribution depend heavily on integrated IT systems. Once logistics networks fail, even productive breweries go silent.
- Financial impacts: Because half of Asahi’s revenue is domestic, prolonged disruption could significantly dent short-term earnings.
- Market opportunism: Rival breweries may gain short-term market share. Many retailers are already shifting to alternative beer brands to buffer against shortages.
- Cybersecurity risk spotlight: The attack serves as a warning to other manufacturers: operational technology (OT) systems are now major targets, not just data systems.
