Rieko Shofu of Sapporo announced the company will move beer production from Canada to the US to offset new tariffs.
Rieko Shofu, the chief strategy officer for the Japanese brewer Sapporo, stated that the company will move some beer production from Canada to the United States. This decision follows the introduction of a 50% tariff on beer imported from Canada, which has increased costs for companies shipping across the border.
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Sapporo plans to shift the production of its non-alcoholic beer, which is currently made in its Canadian subsidiary, Sleeman Breweries, for US customers, to the United States by the first half of 2027. To mitigate rising costs, the company is considering adding production capacity on the US West Coast through building, buying, or partnering with a third-party manufacturer. The move comes as the company seeks to make up for a shrinking population in Japan. Sapporo plans to invest up to ¥400bn ($2.6bn) by 2030 to expand overseas markets. The company also announced a partnership with the Danish brewer Carlsberg to expand in Southeast Asia.