Company History

Kirin Brewery introduces Kirin Ichiban.

ESPO®, an erythropoietin preparation and therapeutic agent for renal anemia, introduced.

Established Qingdao International Seed Co., Ltd. (China) as a joint venture with Tokita Seed and Qingdao Seed Co., Ltd. (stock transfer in 2010)

Kirin Lemon Co., Ltd. takes over Kirin Brewery's soft drink business and changes its company name to Kirin Beverage Co., Ltd.

Kirin Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (currently Kyowa Kirin Taiwan Co., Ltd.) established.

Kirin Beverage starts selling Tropicana.

Jeil-Kirin Pharmaceutical, Inc. (currently Kyowa Kirin Korea Co., Ltd.) established in South Korea.

Kirin Brewery introduces Kirin Akiaji.

Kirin Europe GmbH established in Germany.

Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd. (currently Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.) releases Coniel®, a remedy for hypertension and angina pectoris.

GRAN®, a G-CSF preparation and therapeutic agent for neutropenia, introduced.

Kirin Beverage Maizuru Plant (closed in 2013) completed.

Acquires a stake in Nihon Fine Foods Co., Ltd.

Kirin Brewery completes Basic Technology Research Institute (the forerunner of the Kirin Holdings Kirin Central Research Institute, etc.) in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Hokuriku Plant completed (closed in 2010)

Kirin Pharmaceuticals (China) Co., Ltd. (currently Kyowa Kirin Hong Kong Co., Ltd.) established.

Transfers dairy products business to Koiwai Dairy.

Starts manufacturing and selling Budweiser in Japan. (out of production in 2018)

Kirin Agribio EC B.V. established in Netherlands.

Starts the United Nations University-Kirin Fellowship Program.

Kirin Beverage introduces Kirin Chikara-Mizu.

Kirin Logistics Corp.(the forerunner of Kirin Group Logistics Co., Ltd.) established.

Kirin Brewery changed its head office location from Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo to Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.

KB Estate Co., Ltd. changes its name to Kirin Building Management Co., Ltd.

Mercian introduce Mercian Bistro.

Kirin Lease & Finance Co., Ltd. changes its name to Kirin Lease Co., Ltd.(closed in 2005)

Shanghai JinJiang Kirin Beverage & Food Co., Ltd. established. (share transferred to China Resources Enterprise in 2011)

Co-establishes Kirin Brewery of America, LLC with Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.

Mercian introduces Mercian Bon Rouge.

Acquires a stake in Cosmo Co., Ltd.

Zhuhai Kirin President Brewery Co., Ltd. (the forerunner of Kirin Brewery [Zhuhai] Co., Ltd.) established in China.

Kirin Brewery transfers wine businesses to Kirin-Seagram.

Kirin Brewery starts selling pharmaceutical products by itself.

Develops a human antibody-producing mouse.

Kobe Plant completed.

Taiwan Kirin Engineering Co., Ltd. changes its name to Taiwan Kirin Co., Ltd.

Kirin Kunpeng (China) Bio-Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (currently Kyowa Kirin China Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) established.

Sanoh Trading Co., Ltd changes its name to Kirin International Trading Inc.(liquidated in 2009)

Kirin-Asupro Corp., a health food manufacturing company, established.

Kirin Brewery introduces Kirin Tanrei.

Acquires a stake in Lion Nathan Limited(the forerunner of Lion Pty Limited) in New Zealand.

Kirin Hotels Development Co., Ltd. Established. (transferred in 2009)

Kirin Dining Co., Ltd.(store transferred to R&K Food Service Co., Ltd. In 2005) established by merging Kirin Food Service Co., Ltd. and Kirin Act Co., Ltd.

Kirin Beverage introduces Kirin Alkali-Ion-no-Mizu.

Kirin Beverage introduces Kirin Fire, canned coffee drink.

Formulates the Long-Term Management Vision “KG21.”

Kirin Beverages introduces Koiwai Milk & Coffee.