Orion Beer Makes Its First Overseas Investment in Its UK Partner

Okinawa is Japan’s southernmost prefecture, made up of subtropical islands. Orion Beer, founded there in 1957, has invested £1 million in Sunrise Beverages Ltd. of London (hereafter Sunrise). It is Orion’s first overseas investment. According to the announcement of 29 July 2026, the aim is to expand production and distribution in the UK and, from there, to extend into European markets.

Brewing abroad without a brewery of its own

Since September 2025, the two companies have been brewing and selling Orion Beer in the UK under licence. Under licensed production, the brand owner supplies the recipe and quality standards, while a local partner handles production and sales. There is no need to ship finished product from Japan, nor to build a brewery of its own. Orion describes this as an “asset-light” approach to overseas expansion, meaning one that avoids tying up capital in facilities and other assets. This time, the investment comes together with a long-term partnership agreement, and the funds will be used to increase Sunrise’s production capacity.

Sunrise is a company that brings together independent beer brands in the UK. Alongside the international brand Efes, it handles award-winning British craft brewery brands such as Gipsy Hill, Days Brewing, Curious, Portobello and St Peter’s.

Encouraging signs in the UK premium market

Orion brewed in the UK is stocked by the upmarket supermarket Waitrose, the Portobello Pub Company, which runs pubs, and the restaurant Duck & Rice, among others. Orion regards the UK as one of the world’s leading premium beer markets, one where price, quality and the story behind a brand count for a great deal, and says it has confirmed that there is demand there for Japanese beer. Its export volumes have grown by about 400% over the past six years.

Patrick Dougan, head of overseas operations, praised Sunrise for its expertise in sales to pubs and restaurants and for its commitment to building the brand over the long term. Sunrise CEO Richard Mather said the agreement gives the company the confidence to keep investing in the brand for a long time to come. According to the announcement, the two companies plan to increase joint marketing investment to consolidate the beer’s position as a Japanese premium lager both in shops and in the on-trade.

Enjoying it in Europe

As of the announcement, the UK is the only place where locally brewed Orion is available. If you have the chance to visit, look for it on the shelves at Waitrose or in partner pubs. Orion itself describes the flavour as smooth on the palate, with a gentle malt sweetness and a very refreshing finish. Served well chilled alongside fried or salty dishes, its lightness really comes through. Expansion into continental Europe was still to come at the time of the announcement. It will be worth watching which country the UK results lead Orion to next.