Kenji Sakamoto: Aiming to be the First One

2025/01/23

The most delicious beer in the world is freshly brewed beer with live yeast, known as "dobu," drunk directly from the factory tank. Major breweries remove yeast during the production process to withstand room-temperature transport, but August Beer has achieved a consistent refrigeration system from the tank to the consumer's mouth, commercializing beer that tastes as if it were poured directly from the tank into a glass.

After graduation, I joined Kirin Brewery, obtained an MBA through an internal study abroad program, and then worked on expanding sales channels at Kirin USA. In America, where it is common to gulp down light beers, Kirin was said to be "bitter," and sales were stagnant. To create situations where people would want to drink a full-bodied beer, I supported young people aiming to open sushi restaurants in the US, establishing many sushi restaurants over 10 years, which led to increased sales. After returning to Japan, I was put in charge of expanding sales for the light-tasting Budweiser at Budweiser Japan. At the time, Budweiser was perceived as a student beer and was not consumed by working professionals.

Therefore, we launched a nationwide promotion featuring "Bud Girls" dressed in body-con outfits, gaining explosive popularity among working professionals. However, neither Kirin in the US nor Budweiser in Japan sold because they were evaluated for their taste; the sales were the result of a "soft-led, hard-follow" marketing model.

At the 25-year milestone of my professional career, I decided to become independent and established August Beer, naming the company "AUGUST" to mean "authentic" or "essential." Today, it is served at many Michelin-starred restaurants.

Believing that my raison d'être is to continue being a "First One"—someone who takes the lead in doing what no one else has touched—I began supporting the introduction of microbreweries seven years ago. Freshly brewed beer with live yeast is produced in the factory next door, and since logistics costs are zero, the business model allows us to provide it to customers at a low price. This has gained support, and we have assisted 40 factories nationwide.

The next "First One" is a micro-distillery & brewery that produces beer and whiskey simultaneously. Both beer and whiskey use the same malt as a raw material, and two-thirds of the production process can be shared. I have applied for a business patent for this fusion model. I want to continue providing intellectual shocks to the world.

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.