Initiatives to solve social issues
Through our beer manufacturing and sales business, we are tackling social issues such as regional revitalization and environmental problems. Based in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, we aim to create sustainable value from the local area to the world by utilizing non-standard agricultural products and collaborating with tourism businesses.
Coexistence with the local community
We have set "coexistence with the local community" as a value standard for realizing our mission and vision.
The local community is the foundation that supports our business. We see it not simply as a market, but as a partner with which we create value.
Co-creation with local communities is our very purpose: to create value for customers through the diversity and richness of our beer. Consumers in cities and overseas empathize with stories that originate in the local area and develop an attachment to our products and services.
That is why we believe that creating long-term value through contributions to local communities is the path we should take. Building strong relationships with local communities will help us grow as a company and create value for our customers in the long run.
Brewed with YAMANASHI
"Brewed with YAMANASHI" is an initiative that aims to revitalize the region through beer brewing that utilizes Yamanashi's local resources. The project began in July 2020 as the "Yamanashi Support Project," and was renamed "Brewed with YAMANASHI" in 2024.
To date, they have brewed beers using agricultural products from Yamanashi Prefecture, such as peaches, plums, and grapes, and are promoting the appeal of Yamanashi throughout the country. For example, "Peach Haze" is a hazy-style fruit pale ale made with peaches from Yamanashi City's peach farm, "Peach Senka Yamashita," and is a popular product that is brewed and sold every year.
"Grapevine" is a series of beers made using grapes picked from Chateau Mercian Katsunuma Winery, bringing out the natural flavor of the grapes to the fullest.
In 2025, they released "Far Yeast Tsuki no De Ale/Tsuki no De Lager," brewed using barley from Otsuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture, and hops from Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, 100% produced in Yamanashi Prefecture. This product is also sold under the brand name " Big Moon Beer " as a new specialty product of Otsuki City.
Through these efforts, we are promoting coexistence with the local community and promoting the appeal of Yamanashi Prefecture not only in Japan but also overseas.
Collaboration with local tourism businesses
We work with local tourism businesses to revitalize the region through craft beer. We are members of the Kosuge Village Tourism Association and the Otsuki City Tourism Association, and offer our beer at Kosuge Roadside Station, accommodation facilities, campgrounds, and other locations. This creates opportunities for tourists to enjoy local flavors and promotes the creation of local fans. We also pair our beer with local ingredients and jointly develop souvenir products, providing an experience that combines tourism with food and drink.
Furthermore, we are strengthening our ties with the local community through booths and sponsorship at local events such as the Tama Headwaters Festival, trail runs, and the Earth's Blessings Festival. These events are valuable opportunities for local residents, people from the village, and tourists to come together, contributing to promoting the appeal of the region and encouraging repeat visits.
In addition, we cooperate with the tourist association to clean up the areas around tourist facilities (weeding, etc.) and to improve the environment. These activities increase the sustainability of the region and contribute to maintaining its appeal as a tourist destination. We will continue to aim to create value together with the local community.
Promoting employment in the local area
A total of 30 people (as of September 1, 2024) work at our head office in Kosuge Village, with a variety of working arrangements including executives, full-time employees, part-timers, and contract workers. Ten employees live in Kosuge Village, and including their families, the total number is 20. This not only provides a place of work for local residents, but also contributes to promoting relocation to Yamanashi Prefecture, with some people moving there to work for our company.
Cooperation in regional development
We also support events for people moving to Kosuge Village. In November 2024, we held a Kosuge Village relocation seminar where we spoke about how to work and live in Kosuge Village, and in February 2025, we hosted a work experience event for people moving to the village.
We also host lectures and factory tours for elementary and junior high schools in Kosuge Village, give lectures on work styles and community involvement at Yamanashi Prefectural Tsuru High School, and give lectures on product development for businesses in Uenohara.
Studio Hata, a Kosuge Village business, has jointly developed wooden beer glasses called "Kai" and "Uroko" using cypress from Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, together with the NPO Tama Genryu Kosuge and students from the Chuo University Faculty of Commerce, and is working with local businesses to utilize resources from Kosuge Village.
Initiatives with Yamanashi Prefecture
Our company representative cooperated in the formulation of the Yamanashi Prefecture Comprehensive Plan (2023 Edition), which is the basic guideline for the administration of Yamanashi Prefecture. We declared our intention to promote the SDGs together with Yamanashi Prefecture, and registered as one of the first batch of " Yamanashi SDGs Promotion Companies ." We also spoke at the Yamanashi SDGs FORUM 2024, an event hosted by Yamanashi Prefecture.
Furthermore, together with Yamanashi Prefecture, we aim to create a "coexistence society" where everyone can accept diversity, and have registered as a " Yamanashi Coexistence Society Promotion Players ." We also support Yamanashi Prefecture's efforts to combat population decline and have published the " Yamanashi Joint Declaration Manifesto for Overcoming the Population Decline Crisis ."
Opened a complex in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture
We are opening a complex in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, with the aim of creating a new market by focusing on community-based activities and promoting them to metropolitan areas and the world. This complex will offer agricultural experiences, malting experiences, beer brewing experiences, and a restaurant, where you can enjoy everything from making the ingredients for beer to drinking the beer.
Environmental Initiatives
The beer production process requires a lot of energy to ensure its appealing flavor and quality. For example, a large amount of heat energy is required to boil the wort, and cooling and heat retention energy is also essential to precisely control the temperature for rapid cooling after brewing, and for fermentation and aging. In addition, a wide range of processes, such as the carbonation process in which carbon dioxide is added during fermentation, and the use of hot water for cleaning and washing, consume energy.
In response to this energy-intensive process of beer production, we have consistently worked to reduce our environmental impact since opening our Genryu Brewery in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture in 2017. At the heart of this is our philosophy of "creating a sustainable craft beer culture in harmony with local resources."
Reducing CO₂ usage through in-container secondary fermentation and natural carbonation
We actively employ the "in-container secondary fermentation" technology, which produces natural carbonation. This is a method in which, after beer is bottled or canned, a small amount of yeast and sugar is added, allowing for a second fermentation in the container. Because carbon dioxide is naturally produced through this process, the amount of artificial carbon dioxide injected at the factory can be reduced, significantly reducing the amount of carbon dioxide used. This not only contributes to preventing global warming, but also adds depth to the flavor.
Effective use of heat and odor prevention through steam reuse
Steam generated during the brewing of beer is normally just discharged. However, at our company, we condense and liquefy this steam and reuse it as hot water. This not only allows us to use the thermal energy from the brewing process without waste, but also prevents the aroma of hops and malt contained in the steam from diffusing outside the factory, thereby being considerate of the surrounding environment. In areas rich in natural environments such as Kosuge Village, careful consideration is required to preserve the landscape and aroma.
This initiative is common among major beer manufacturers, but it is still rare and pioneering in the craft beer industry.
Initiatives to reduce food waste and upcycle
Rather than discarding beer that is no longer suitable for sale due to losses during the manufacturing process or expiration dates, we are promoting an "upcycling" initiative to recycle it into products with new value. Specifically, by distilling this beer and remaking it into spirits and liqueurs, we are minimizing waste of resources while creating new market value.
The company is also committed to upcycling local resources, and is working with agricultural producers in Yamanashi Prefecture to develop the "Brewed with YAMANASHI" project, which uses agricultural products that do not meet shipping standards as secondary ingredients. To date, the company has developed 12 unique beers using a variety of ingredients, including peaches, grapes, tomatoes, rice, and plums from Kosuge Village. These beers have garnered support from many consumers, not only for their unique flavors but also for their social significance in reducing food waste and supporting local agriculture.
Achieving zero waste by recycling 100% of malt residue and secondary ingredients
In the craft beer industry, the malt residue left over after brewing beer is often disposed of as industrial waste due to constraints on scale and storage facilities. However, our company has achieved zero waste by recycling 100% of this malt residue. Specifically, we provide it free of charge as feed for goats raised in Kosuge Village, and also sell it to ranches and livestock farmers outside the prefecture as animal feed. This simultaneously reduces waste and utilizes recycled resources both within and outside the region.
Furthermore, instead of simply discarding the fruits (peaches, plums, grapes, etc.) and herbs used in the beer, secondary ingredients are composted at a waste treatment facility in Kosuge Village. The compost produced in this way is sold at Kosuge Roadside Station and reused for growing crops, establishing a circular resource utilization model.
Reuse of hot water generated by wort cooling
After boiling the wort, it needs to be cooled to a temperature suitable for fermentation. During this cooling process, the water absorbs heat using a cooling device and is produced as hot water. Rather than wasting this hot water, we collect it in a hot water tank and reuse it. This is mainly used for the next wort brewing, cleaning fermentation tanks, and maintaining the hygiene of brewing equipment, which reduces fuel consumption for boilers and makes effective use of water resources.
Health and Safety Initiatives
Responsible Drinking Initiative
To help consumers easily understand the amount of pure alcohol (g) per serving, we have been indicating the amount of pure alcohol on the labels of some of our products ahead of the establishment of voluntary standards by industry groups. In addition, in accordance with the voluntary standards, we display the "alcohol" mark on the labels of all our canned products.
Furthermore, we are currently developing a non-alcoholic beer with 0% alcohol content that can be enjoyed by those who do not drink alcohol, and plan to start selling it soon. Through these efforts, we will contribute to fostering a culture in which consumers can appropriately manage their alcohol intake and enjoy beer with peace of mind.
Safety and hygiene management initiatives
We have established a daily management system to protect the safety and health of our employees. We appoint a safety and health promoter in accordance with the Industrial Safety and Health Act and take measures to prevent danger and health problems for workers.
We hold safety meetings once a month to raise safety awareness among all employees and ensure that safety is continuously communicated to them. Furthermore, to prevent workplace injuries and accidents, we conduct regular safety patrols within the manufacturing plant. We have also established clear response policies for infectious diseases such as norovirus, and have put in place a system to prevent the spread of infection within the workplace, such as suspending employees from coming to work until they have recovered and received a doctor's diagnosis. Through these efforts, we strive to maintain a safe and secure working environment.
Initiatives to promote employee health
As a company that is a member of the Japan Health Insurance Association's "Healthy Workplace" program, we view employee health as one of our management priorities. We are working to create a healthy and vibrant work environment by thoroughly encouraging employees to undergo regular health checkups, promoting exercise in the workplace, supporting improved dietary habits, and implementing mental health measures. We value the ability of each employee to work in good physical and mental health, and aim to link this to productivity and sustainable growth for the entire company.
100% childcare leave utilization rate
Our company places importance on balancing work and life events, and has established a childcare leave system. In recent years, there have been few employees with children, with only two families. However, the take-up rate is 100%. Leave plans are adjusted in advance through interviews, HR contacts employees during their leave, and after returning, reduced working hours and remote work are combined, and evaluation interviews are held to prevent any career disadvantages. The flexible handover system that is unique to a small organization encourages employees to take leave, creating an environment where they can focus on raising their children with peace of mind.
Our efforts to resolve social issues are based on our current plans as of April 2025, and we will continue to review and update them.