Beer cyberattack leaves shelves empty

Japan’s largest beer maker, Asahi Group Holdings, has been brought to a standstill by a cyberattack that shut down much of its logistics network, cutting off deliveries of its best-known lager and leaving shelves empty across the country.

For nearly a week, shipments of Asahi Super Dry — one of Japan’s most widely consumed beers — have failed to reach bars and retailers. The company said its order-processing systems, call centers and customer service units had all been disabled, though the production lines themselves were not directly hit.

“As an emergency measure, we manually processed orders for some products, including Asahi Super Dry. However, this was a temporary and urgent response and it remains undecided whether such measures will be continued after October 2,” a spokesperson said.

“I think we’re going to see more events attacking the manufacturing and the operational piece,” said Erin Eisenrich, VP, Technology E&O and International at Berkley Technology Underwriters. “Call centers and things like that feel a little bit more in the traditional vein of what we’ve seen in the past – but that is exactly the kind of exposure that we’re underwriting  when we underwrite tech E&O. What kind of widespread impact would there be to a client if our software offering, hardware, whatever it is, were to go down?”

Police investigation and rising ransomware fears

Asahi has stressed that no evidence has emerged of stolen personal or customer information. Still, police are investigating the breach, and cybersecurity experts have warned that ransomware could be at the root of the disruption.

Analysts at Nihon Cyber Defence, a Tokyo-based firm, argue that Japanese corporations remain especially vulnerable to ransomware attacks because of weaker digital defenses and a tendency to quietly settle extortion demands.

According to data from Japan’s National Police Agency, 222 ransomware cases were formally recorded in 2024, a 12 percent increase from the year before. Experts, however, believe the actual number of attacks is far higher.

Factories idle, launches on hold

The cyberattack has paralyzed Asahi’s operations at roughly 30 domestic factories. While brewing equipment has remained functional, distribution has largely ceased, forcing many facilities to sit idle.

The disruption has also delayed more than a dozen planned product launches, including new soft drinks and confectionery lines slated for release this month.

Shares in Asahi Group Holdings have fallen more than 5 percent since Monday. Before the incident, the stock had gained about 7 percent this year. The company emphasized that its international operations — including European beer brands Peroni and Grolsch — have not been affected.

A growing threat to food and beverage companies

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Asahi is the latest in a series of food and beverage companies to be targeted globally. In recent years, breweries in Russia, Germany, Belgium and Sweden have all endured ransomware strikes.

Last week, Britain’s Co-op Group revealed that a cyberattack in April had cut £80 million from its half-year profits.

Asahi, which reported first-half revenues of more than $9 billion, has not given a timetable for when it expects to restore normal service.