Japan's largest brewery, Asahi Group, is reportedly days away from running out of its flagship beer, Asahi Super Dry, following a ransomware attack that disrupted its systems. The attack, reported on Monday, forced the company to halt production at most of its 30 factories nationwide, including those producing the popular lager.
The company, which also produces Nikka whisky and a range of other beverages, has not indicated when production might resume. According to the Financial Times, Asahi could exhaust its Super Dry inventory in two to three days. Super Dry is a staple of Japan's drinking culture, with 73 million cases sold last year.
The cyber attack has crippled Asahi's ordering and delivery system, preventing the company from processing shipments. A spokesperson told Agence France-Presse on Friday: 'No immediate recovery of our system is in sight at the moment. Ordinary shipments remain halted.' The company has postponed the release of a dozen new products, including soda and protein bars.
Retailers and pubs are bracing for empty shelves. A spokesperson for Seven & I Holdings, which operates 7-11 stores, said notices would be put up to inform customers of the suspension, adding that major disruptions had not yet occurred. Asahi has reported the incident to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and stated that no customer data was compromised. Its overseas operations remain unaffected.
