Impact of Major Beverage Company System Failure on Restaurants and End-of-Year Sales

Major Beverage Company System Outage: Effects and Responses

A recent incident involving a ransomware attack on Asahi Group Holdings has sent shockwaves through Japan’s restaurant industry. Managed by Synchro Food, a leading platform for restaurant management, the firm conducted a comprehensive survey targeting 300 restaurant owners nationwide to assess the implications of this security breach and how the industry is preparing for the end-of-year peak season.

Survey Overview

The survey was conducted between October 28 and November 4, 2025, among members of restaurant.com, with a significant focus on drink suppliers. Notably, 71.3% of respondents operated a single restaurant, and over half of the restaurants surveyed were located in Tokyo. Such demographics may have influenced the survey results significantly.

Preceding Questions and Insights

When asked about their primary beverage suppliers, 56% of respondents named Asahi Group as their main provider, followed by Suntory Holdings at 48.7% and Kirin Holdings at 46%. The representation of Asahi’s products pre-incident showed that 37.3% of restaurants had less than 25% of their beverage sales reliant on Asahi, while 17.7% depended on Asahi for 50% or more of their beverage offerings.

Impact Post-Incident

Following the incident, the findings revealed that over 51% of restaurant owners faced supply shortages from Asahi Group. When asked about the current procurement situation, only 28% reported no issues, while 36.7% experienced moderate shortages, and 14.6% noted significant supply challenges. This highlights a substantial disruption in beverage availability — a lifeline for many establishments.

Many restaurants resorted to switching to other brands, with 28.7% of those who still sought Asahi products making alternative arrangements with other beer brands or soft drink suppliers to mitigate the impact. Even in the midst of difficulties, 44.3% reported they had not taken any action as they felt little to no impact from the shortages.

Year-End Sales Outlook

When asked about the potential impact on the upcoming year-end holiday season, which is crucial for many establishments due to celebratory gatherings, a staggering 94% felt that they would not suffer from serious consequences, combining those who thought there would be no effect with those who believed disruptions would be minor.

67% indicated that their procurement strategies would remain unchanged, while some indicated proactive measures — 12% indicated increasing procurement from other manufacturers to ensure stability in supply.

Profit Forecasts

On the forecast for sales impacts, a significant 82.3% stated they foresaw little to no change in revenue. Those predicting slight drops accounted for only 17.7% combined over various levels of projected revenue decline. Notably, 29.3% expressed concern that switching to alternative suppliers may increase costs, affecting profitability. Instances of customer attrition due to unavailable popular products were noted by 26.3%.

Future Procurement Changes

Interestingly, about 39% of respondents sketched a change in their procurement strategies moving forward, with the majority considering diversifying their suppliers. Over half of those expecting a change highlighted that they would focus on reducing dependency on single suppliers and increasing inventory levels to avoid future shortages.

Evolving Challenges and Recommendations

Participants articulated expectations for beverage companies like Asahi to strengthen their cybersecurity measures and diversify supply chains, advocating for strategies that accommodate analog responses in case of digital disruptions. Many expressed gratitude for the industry's sincere approach in managing the ongoing challenges, hoping for collaborative solutions across competing entities.

Closing Remarks

This incident underlines the vital encore for beverage suppliers to enhance their cybersecurity protocols while also encouraging the restaurant industry to consider more resilient inventory and supplier strategies moving forward. The unexpected incident serves as a cautionary tale on the importance of risk management practices in the hospitality sector.

Acknowledgment

For citations, please credit “Restaurant.com (Synchro Food Inc.) Survey” and include a link to the research page at https://www.inshokuten.com/research/company/.