Orion Breweries, Japan's fifth-largest brewer and a notable beer company from Okinawa, has strengthened its long-term partnership with UK-based independent beer group Sunrise Beverages by investing GBP 1 million in the company. The minority equity investment marks the first-ever investment in an overseas partner for the Japanese brewer.
The deal builds on a partnership between the two companies that first began in 2024. Licensed production and sales of Orion in the UK started in September 2025. Since then, the brand has significantly expanded its British footprint, securing a listing with supermarket chain Waitrose and distribution through premium hospitality operators including Portobello Pub Company, The Duck & Rice, and Sticks'n'Sushi.
Orion stated its international export volumes have increased by around 400 percent over the past six years. The company now plans to use its partnership with Sunrise Beverages to expand production capacity, strengthen joint marketing activities, and further increase the brand's distribution and awareness in both the UK on-trade and retail sectors. The brewer also views the UK as a base for further expansion into other European markets.
The move comes amid growing British consumer interest in premium Japanese and other international beer brands. Competition in this segment is also increasing; Carlsberg Britvic announced in July that it would become the full UK licence partner for Sapporo Premium Beer from August 1, taking responsibility for brewing, marketing, and nationwide distribution across both the on- and off-trade.
For Sunrise Beverages, led by Chief Executive Officer Richard Mather, the investment represents an endorsement of its ambition to build one of the UK's leading independent beer companies. Its portfolio includes international brands such as Efes and Orion alongside British beer businesses and brands including Gipsy Hill, Days Brewing, Curious, Portobello, and St Peter's.
Patric Dougan, Senior Managing Executive Officer at Orion Breweries, described the UK as one of the world's most attractive premium beer markets and pointed to the distributor's expertise in the on-trade, customer service, and long-term brand building as key reasons for deepening the relationship.
Founded in Okinawa in 1957, Orion entered a new phase of development after Carlyle Group and Nomura Capital Partners jointly acquired the brewer in 2019. Six years later, Orion returned to the public markets, listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on September 25, 2025 [(inside.beer, 2025-08-24)]. The Sunrise Beverages investment underscores Orion's growing focus on international markets as it seeks additional growth outside a shrinking domestic beer market.
