Sapporo to relocate Canadian beer production to the United States amid 50% tariffs

Sapporo Breweries Ltd., the top-selling Asian beer brand in the United States, announced it will relocate certain production from Canada to the United States after a 50% tariff on Canadian beer exports was imposed. The shift will see non-alcoholic beer currently brewed in Canada for the U.S. market moved to local facilities by the first half of 2027, with the company considering either acquiring, building, or contracting a West Coast brewery.

Chief Strategy Officer Rieko Shofu linked the decision to a broader revamp after years of underperforming acquisitions, including the sale of Stone Brewing in 2022 and the liquidation of Anchor Brewing in 2023. Sapporo intends to invest ¥300-¥400 billion (US$1.9-2.6 billion) through 2030, aiming to raise operating profit to ¥40 billion, roughly 30% of which is expected from overseas growth. The firm also announced a joint venture with Carlsberg A/S to expand in Southeast Asia and is scouting opportunities in China and South Korea, while acknowledging domestic challenges from Japan’s declining population.