From an Osaka wine shop to Japan's first whisky maker and a global drinks group
QUICK FACTS
Est. 1899 — best known for whisky, beer, and soft drinks.
HISTORY
Suntory traces back to 1899, when Shinjiro Torii opened Torii Shoten, a shop in Osaka selling imported wine. His own sweet fortified wine, Akadama Port Wine, became a hit after its 1907 launch and funded the company's growth; the business was renamed Kotobukiya in 1921.
In 1923 Torii built the Yamazaki Distillery near Kyoto, Japan's first malt whisky distillery, betting that Japan could produce whisky suited to local palates rather than simply imitating Scotch. The company adopted the Suntory name in 1963 and later expanded into beer and soft drinks (including BOSS coffee and Iemon tea); its 2014 acquisition of US spirits maker Beam Inc. created Beam Suntory, one of the world's largest spirits companies.
PRODUCTS
Japan's first single malt whisky, produced since 1923
Suntory's flagship all-malt beer brand
Long-running canned coffee brand sold in vending machines nationwide
TIMELINE
This page is compiled from publicly available company history and is provided for general reference only. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please consult the brand's official website.