Suntory announces Hakushu distillery expansion

Japanese drinks company Suntory is to expand its Hakushu whisky distillery by adding two more stills in order to meet growing demand.

Suntory has revealed plans to invest one billion yen in increasing production capacity at its Hakushu distillery

The work is estimated to cost one billion yen (£5.8 million) and is due to completion in September 2014.

It will enable the distillery, which currently has six pairs of stills, to increase its production capacity by 30%.

Suntory claims that the Japanese whisky market has been expanding for the past five years and anticipates further growth.

In 2013, combined sales of the group’s premium whiskies, including Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki, grew 16%, while its Kakubin brand sold over three million cases (8.4L per case) last year.

This recent expansion announcement for Hakushu comes just over one year since Suntory revealed that it would be investing in increasingly production at its Yamazaki distillery.

Last month Suntory unveiled two no-age-statement whiskies from its Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries described as the “next chapter of Japanese whisky”.

The group also announced in January this year. that it is to acquire US company Beam Inc for US$16 billion.