Through our beer production and sales business, we are taking on social issues such as regional revitalization and environmental problems. Based in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, we aim to create sustainable value from the region to the world by utilizing sub-standard agricultural products and collaborating with tourism businesses.
Coexistence with Local Communities
We hold “Coexistence with Local Communities” as a value standard to realize our mission and vision.
Local communities are the foundation that supports our business. We believe that they are not just markets, but partners in creating value together.
Co-creation with local communities is our very raison d’etre: to create value for our customers through the diversity and richness of our beer. Urban and international consumers empathize with locally created stories and become attached to our products and services.
That is why we believe that creating long-term value through contributions to local communities is the way forward for us. Building strong relationships with the local community is what, in the long run, will grow the company and power the creation of value for our customers.
Brewed with YAMANASHI
Brewed with YAMANASHI” is an initiative that aims to revitalize the local community through the brewing of beer using local resources in Yamanashi. This project started in July 2020 as the “Yamanashi Support Project” and changed its name to “Brewed with YAMANASHI” in 2024.
To date, beers have been brewed using agricultural products from Yamanashi Prefecture, such as peaches, plums, and grapes, to promote the appeal of Yamanashi to the rest of Japan. For example, “Peach Haze” is a Hazy-style fruit pale ale made with peaches from Peach Senka Yamashita, a peach farmer in Yamanashi City, and is a popular product brewed and sold annually. Grapevine” is a series of beers utilizing grapes from Chateau Mercian’s Katsunuma Winery, bringing out the natural flavor of the grapes.
In 2025, we released Far Yeast Tsuki no De Ale/Tsuki no De Lager, brewed with barley from Otsuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture and hops from Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, and 100% produced in Yamanashi Prefecture. This product is also marketed under the brand name ” BigMoonBeer ” as a new specialty product of Ohtsuki City.
Through these efforts, we are promoting coexistence with the local community and communicating the charms of Yamanashi Prefecture not only to Japan but also to the rest of the world.
Collaboration with Local Tourism Businesses
We are working to revitalize the local community through craft beer in cooperation with local tourism businesses. We are a member of the Kosuge Village Tourism Association and the Otsuki City Tourism Association, and provide beer at Kosuge Roadside Station, lodging facilities, campgrounds, and other locations. In this way, we are creating opportunities for tourists to enjoy local flavors and building local fans. We also promote pairings with local ingredients and joint development of souvenir products to provide an experience that combines tourism and food and beverage.
Furthermore, we are strengthening our ties with the community through stalls and sponsorships at local events such as the Tama Genryu Festival, the Trail Run, and the Echigo-Tsumari Festival. These events are valuable opportunities for local residents, people from the village, and tourists to gather together, and contribute to communicating the appeal of the region and encouraging return visits.
In addition, in cooperation with the tourist association, we also engage in cleanup activities (mowing, etc.) and environmental maintenance around tourist facilities. These activities enhance the sustainability of the region and contribute to maintaining its attractiveness as a tourist destination. We will continue to work together with the local community to create value.
Promoting Employment in the Region
A total of 30 people (as of September 1, 2024) work at our headquarters in Kosuge Village in a variety of work styles, including directors, full-time employees, part-time employees, and outsourced workers. The head office in Kosuge Village has 10 employees and 20 employees’ family members, making it a place for local residents to work and also contributing to the promotion of immigration, as some people have moved to Yamanashi Prefecture to work for the company.
Some of our employees working in Kosuge Village are from Kosuge Village, creating employment opportunities that are rooted in the local community.
Cooperation in Regional Development
We also support events for Kosuge Village migrants: in November 2024, we spoke at a seminar for migrants in Kosuge Village about how to work and live in the village, and in February 2025, we hosted a work experience event for migrants.
We also give lectures and factory tours to elementary and junior high schools in Kosuge Village, give talks on how to work and interact with the local community at Tsuru High School in Yamanashi Prefecture, and give talks on product development to businesses in Uenohara.
Together with Kosuge business owners Studio Hatake no Mae, NPO Tama Genryu Kosuge, and students of Chuo University’s Faculty of Commerce, we have jointly developed the wooden beer glasses “Kai” and “Scales” using cypress from Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, and are working with local businesses to utilize the resources of Kosuge Village.
Wooden beer glasses “Kai” and “Scale”[/caption
Initiatives with Yamanashi Prefecture
Our representatives cooperated with Yamanashi Prefecture in the formulation of the ” Yamanashi Prefecture Comprehensive Plan (version to be formulated in 2023),” which is the basic guideline for the prefecture’s administrative management. We declared our commitment to promote SDGs together with Yamanashi Prefecture, registered as a ” Yamanashi SDGs Promotion Company ” in the first phase, and also spoke at the “YAMANASHI SDGs FORUM 2024,” an event hosted by Yamanashi Prefecture.
In addition, we have registered as a ” Yamanashi Coexistence Society Promotion Players” with Yamanashi Prefecture, aiming for a “symbiotic society” where everyone can appreciate diversity, and have released the ” Yamanashi Joint Declaration Manifesto for Breaking Through the Population Decline Crisis ” in support of Yamanashi Prefecture’s measures to combat population decline.
Opened a complex facility in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture
We will open a complex in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, with the aim of creating a new market by focusing on community-based activities and communicating them to the metropolitan area and the world. The complex will offer visitors the opportunity to experience agriculture, malting, beer brewing, and a restaurant and hands-on experience, from brewing 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, boiling the wort requires a large amount of thermal energy, and cooling and thermal energy to precisely control the temperature for rapid cooling after brewing and for fermentation and maturation is also essential. In addition, a wide variety of processes consume energy, including the carbonation process, which adds carbon dioxide gas during fermentation, and the use of hot water for cleaning and washing.
In response to this energy-intensive beer production, we have consistently worked to reduce our environmental impact since we opened our Headwaters Brewery in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture in 2017. Underlying this effort is our philosophy of “creating a sustainable craft beer culture in harmony with local resources.
Reducing CO₂ use through in-container secondary fermentation and natural carbonation
We are actively employing “in-container secondary fermentation” technology that produces natural carbonation. This is a method in which a trace amount of yeast and sugar is added after the beer is bottled or canned, and the beer is re-fermented in the container. This process naturally produces carbon dioxide gas, thus reducing the amount of artificial carbon dioxide injected at the factory and significantly reducing the amount of carbon dioxide used. This method not only contributes to the prevention of global warming, but also adds depth to the flavor.
Effective use of heat and odor prevention by reusing steam
Steam generated during beer preparation would normally just be discharged. However, we condense and liquefy this steam and reuse it as hot water. This allows us to utilize heat energy from the brewing process without wasting it, and also prevents the aroma of hops and malt contained in the steam from spreading outside the brewery, thereby taking the surrounding environment into consideration. Particularly in a rich natural environment such as Kosuge Village, careful consideration is required to preserve the landscape and aroma.
While this approach is common among major beer brewers, it is still rare and advanced in the craft beer industry.
Food Loss Reduction and Upcycling Initiatives
We are promoting “upcycling” initiatives to recycle beer that has become difficult to sell due to losses incurred in the production process or due to expiration dates, rather than disposing of it. Specifically, these beers are distilled and reborn as spirits and liqueurs to create new market value while minimizing resource waste.
We also focus on upcycling by utilizing local resources, and are developing the “Brewed with YAMANASHI” project in cooperation with agricultural producers in Yamanashi Prefecture to utilize agricultural products that fall outside of shipping standards as secondary ingredients. To date, we have developed 12 unique beers using diverse ingredients such as peaches, grapes, tomatoes, rice, and plums from Kosuge Village. These beers have been well received by consumers not only for their unique flavors, but also for their social significance in reducing food loss and supporting local agriculture.
Zero waste is achieved by recycling 100% of malt waste and secondary ingredients.
In the craft beer industry, malt residue left over after brewing is often disposed of as industrial waste due to the scale of the operation and storage facilities. However, we have achieved zero landfill by recycling 100% of the malt residue. Specifically, we provide it free of charge as feed for goats raised in Kosuge Village, and also sell it as animal feed to ranchers and livestock farmers outside the prefecture. In this way, we are simultaneously reducing waste and utilizing recyclable resources within and outside the region.
In addition, the secondary ingredients used in the beer, such as peaches, plums, grapes, and other fruits and herbs, are not simply disposed of after use, but are composted at a waste treatment facility in Kosuge Village. The compost is sold at “Roadside Station Kosuge” and reused to grow crops, thus establishing a recycling-based resource utilization model.
Reuse of hot water generated by wort cooling
After the wort is boiled, it must be lowered to a temperature suitable for fermentation. During this cooling process, water that has absorbed heat from the cooling system is conversely produced as hot water. We do not waste this hot water, but collect it in a hot water tank for reuse. The reused water is mainly used for the next wort preparation, cleaning of fermentation tanks, and sanitation of brewing facilities, thereby reducing boiler fuel consumption and effectively utilizing water resources.
Health and Safety Initiatives
Responsible Drinking Initiatives
To make it easier for consumers to determine the amount of pure alcohol (g) per serving, we have clearly indicated the amount of pure alcohol on the labels of some of our products in advance of the establishment of voluntary standards by industry associations. In addition, all canned product labels display an “alcoholic beverage” symbol in accordance with our voluntary standards.
In addition, we are developing a non-alcoholic beer with 0% alcohol content, which will soon be available for sale, so that people who do not drink alcohol can also enjoy it. Through these efforts, we will contribute to fostering a culture in which consumers can properly control their own alcohol consumption and enjoy beer with peace of mind.
Safety and Sanitation Management Initiatives
We have established a daily management system to protect the safety and health of our employees. In accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Law, we appoint safety and health promoters and take measures to prevent worker hazards and health problems.
Monthly safety meetings are held to raise safety awareness among all employees and to keep them informed. In addition, to prevent occupational accidents and injuries, we conduct regular safety patrols of our production facilities. We have also established a clear policy for dealing with infectious diseases such as norovirus, and have put in place a system to prevent the spread of such diseases in the workplace by, for example, suspending employees from work until they recover and receive a doctor’s diagnosis. Through these efforts, we strive to maintain a safe and secure work environment.
Employee Health Promotion Initiatives
As a company that is a “healthy workplace” under the National Health Insurance Association of Japan, we regard employee health promotion as one of our management issues. We are working to create a healthy and energetic work environment by ensuring that employees receive regular health checkups, promoting physical exercise in the workplace, supporting the improvement of dietary habits, and implementing mental health measures. We value the ability of each and every employee to work in good physical and mental health, and aim to link this to the productivity and sustainable growth of the entire company.
100% of employees take parental leave
We place importance on balancing life events and work, and have established a childcare leave system. Although the number of employees who have had children in recent years is as few as two families, the take-up rate is 100%. We coordinate leave plans through preliminary interviews, HR keeps in touch during the leave, and after returning to work, we combine shortened work hours and remote work, and prevent disadvantages to their careers through evaluation interviews. The flexible handover system unique to a small organization encourages employees to take leave, creating an environment in which employees can focus on raising their children with peace of mind.
Initiatives to solve social issues are initiatives and estimates as of April 2025, and will continue to be reviewed and updated in the future.
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