Domestic Craft Beer Locally Brewed in Suzhou, China, for Full-Scale Expansion into the Chinese Market

Navigator Inc. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo / Representative Director: Noriyoshi Nomura), which operates under the slogan "Delivering Japanese Value to the Global Market," has announced that its Chinese subsidiary, Yesiang (Suzhou) Catering Co., Ltd. (Legal Representative: Noriyoshi Nomura), began selling two types of bottled craft beer from its "Kamakura Beer Nomura Brewery" in Suzhou, China, in July 2026.

This initiative allows for the wider distribution of domestic craft beer, previously offered primarily at the company's restaurant "Nomura Soshi Ryo," to a broader customer base through restaurants, hotels, bars, department stores, mass retailers, and wholesale distributors.

Domestic Craft Beer Locally Brewed for Full-Scale Expansion into the Chinese Market

Moving to a New Stage to Deliver Quality Refined in Our Restaurants to More Customers.

A "Tasting Event" and "Brewery Tour" were held to commemorate the launch, attracting a diverse range of participants including representatives from restaurants, hotels, bars, mass retailers, wholesale distributors, as well as government and support organizations.

At the venue, attendees experienced the potential of domestic craft beer to enhance the experiential value of Japanese cuisine through bottled beer tastings, brewery equipment tours, and food pairing sessions.

Example of Beer Pairing MenuSeasonal Pairing Menu

Scenes from the Brewery TourScenes from the Tasting Event

The Challenge of Local Brewing for Domestic Craft Beer

"Kamakura Beer Nomura Brewery" is pioneering the first-of-its-kind domestic craft beer local brewing business in China, integrating the development of Japanese cuisine and domestic craft beer.

This project leverages the brewing technology of Kamakura Beer, which has received high acclaim both domestically and internationally, to achieve local brewing of domestic craft beer in Suzhou, China (annual brewing volume: 180 KL / medium-scale equipment comparable to domestic craft breweries).

While the proposal of premium Japanese sake is expanding in overseas Japanese restaurants, there remains significant potential for beer proposals that consider compatibility with the cuisine.

Therefore, we focused on domestic craft beer as an element to further enhance the experiential value of Japanese cuisine and established a system that integrates our own restaurant and brewery operations.

Local brewing enables not only fresh delivery but also small-lot introductions, custom beer development for restaurants, hotels, and corporations, and product improvements based on market feedback.

Furthermore, we utilize our own restaurant as a testing ground, continuously refining quality and offerings by verifying compatibility with Japanese cuisine and customer reactions on a daily basis.

Local Brewed Beer Business MeetingKamakura Beer Brewer Naoto Sawada

Quality Refined in Restaurants Delivered to the Chinese Market (Sold Out Immediately, Production Increased)

The two types of bottled beer released this time were selected based on sales performance of draft beer served at our restaurant "Nomura Soshi Ryo" and feedback from local customers.

This business's characteristic is delivering quality refined through actual service and customer feedback in our restaurant directly to the market.

We received numerous reservations immediately after the launch, and the initial brewed batch sold out during the reservation period.

We are currently establishing a production increase system and proceeding with market expansion in China through both wholesale sales to restaurants and hotels, and general sales via mass retailers.

Australia Pale Ale (澳大利亚淡色艾尔)Belgian White (比利时白啤)

Tasting Event and Brewery Tour Held

The tasting event held to coincide with the launch included tastings of the two bottled beers, a tour of the brewing equipment, and a Japanese cuisine pairing experience.

Participants experienced not only the taste of the beer itself but also the new appeal created by its combination with Japanese cuisine.

Active discussions took place at the venue, leading to numerous concrete consultations regarding introduction, sales, and collaboration.

We will continue to hold tasting events and brewery tours to expand opportunities for proposing domestic craft beer in the Chinese market.

Domestic Craft Beer "Tasting Event" Japanese Cuisine x Local Brewing (A New Self-Contained Proposal)

From the Restaurant as a Proving Ground to the Market

We have refined the experience of Japanese cuisine and domestic craft beer by operating our restaurant and brewery as an integrated unit.

We will now deliver the quality and experience refined in our restaurant to a wider audience.

Japan possesses excellent technology, sensibility, aesthetic values, and products and stories rooted in local regions, but their value cannot be fully conveyed through mere explanation.

We believe that their value is only truly communicated when one can "experience" it by tasting and touching.

This is precisely why we established a proving ground in the Chinese market with a restaurant and brewery.

Moving forward, we will continue to refine our quality by incorporating market feedback at this proving ground and connect it to new proposals, such as developing custom beers for restaurants and hotels.

Furthermore, we will utilize this proving ground to collaborate with local companies, producers, and various support organizations, expanding opportunities to deliver Japanese value as an experience.

Delivering Japanese Value to the Global Market: Local Brewing of Domestic Craft Beer, Bottled Beer Launch

Representative's Comment

Noriyoshi Nomura Representative Director, Navigator Inc. Legal Representative, Yesiang (Suzhou) Catering Co., Ltd.

We are deeply grateful for the warm support received, as the two types of bottled beer launched this time received numerous reservations immediately after release, with the initial brewed batch selling out during the reservation period.

This launch of bottled beer is a new step towards delivering the quality cultivated through local brewing to a wider customer base.

At the tasting events and brewery tours, many participants experienced the pairing of Japanese cuisine and domestic craft beer. We are delighted that they were able to feel not only the deliciousness of the beer itself but also the new value created by combining it with Japanese cuisine.

We believe that Japanese value is best conveyed through "experience."

We will now deliver the value refined in our restaurant and brewery to a broader audience.

Please look forward to our challenge of delivering Japanese value to the global market through Japanese cuisine and domestic craft beer.

Nomura Soshi Ryo Counter SeatsNomura Soshi Ryo / Nomura Beer Brewery Entrance

Representative's Profile

Noriyoshi Nomura Representative Director, Navigator Inc.

Based in Suzhou, China, he operates the Japanese restaurant "Nomura Soshi Ryo" and "Kamakura Beer Nomura Brewery."

Under the slogan "Delivering Japanese Value to the Global Market," he is engaged in a business that delivers Japanese value as an experience through the local brewing of Japanese cuisine and domestic craft beer.

Currently, using the Chinese market as a practical field, he is working with local companies and producers to build a new business model for delivering Japanese value to the global market.

New Business Model for Delivering Japanese Value to the Global Market

Local Craft Beer Brewery Overview

Brewery Name: Kamakura Beer Nomura Brewery

Location: 19-12 Beiyuan Road, Gusu District, Suzhou City

Meiluo Xiaoshe Center (Wangziyuan)

Business Hours: 11:00 - 20:00

Brewing Scale: 180 KL per year

(Medium-scale class of domestic craft breweries)

Restaurant Overview

Restaurant Name: Nomura Soshi Ryo / Nomura Bettei

Location: 19-12 Beiyuan Road, Gusu District, Suzhou City

(Meiluo Xiaoshe Center)

Business Hours: 11:00 - 22:00

Restaurant Scale: 1st Floor: 18-seat counter / 2nd Floor: 36 seats

Garden Private Room: 8 people / Bettei Private Room: 12 people

Company Overview (Operating Company)

Company Name: NAVIGATOR INC.

Representative Director: Noriyoshi Nomura

Location: Otemachi First Square, East Tower 4F, 1-5-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Business Activities: Overseas Japanese Restaurant Business /

Domestic Craft Beer Local Brewing Business /

Overseas Expansion Business for Japanese Brands

Chinese Local Subsidiary (Operating Company)

Company Name: Yesiang (Suzhou) Catering Co., Ltd.

Legal Representative: Noriyoshi Nomura

Location: Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China

Operating Business: Nomura Soshi Ryo / Nomura Bettei / Kamakura Beer Nomura Brewery

※Note

"First in China" refers to a business model where a Japanese craft beer brewing company establishes a local brewery in mainland China and fully sells its own brand of domestically brewed craft beer. According to our research (as of June 2026). No similar business cases have been confirmed in mainland China.

<Contact Information>

Public Relations: Suzuki ([email protected])