What is Asahi Beer's "creation of a fun lifestyle culture with taste that exceeds expectations" which has led to advanced sales proposals by analyzing foodservice POS data in real-time?

－ Please tell us about your company's sales structure and the role of Mr. Uchiumi within it.

Asahi Beer has a sales division targeting mass merchants such as supermarkets and convenience stores, and a food service division that focuses on restaurants, bars, and izakayas. We belong to the latter food service division, providing support functions that assist on-site sales from behind the scenes.

Our sales style is very unique; we not only approach food service companies to adopt our products but also make proposals regarding their management. We consider everything from menu content and order flow to researching surrounding market information... If we hear about a new store opening, we might help with the property search or introduce companies for food supply or interior design.

On-site sales consistently think of measures that will lead to increased sales and profits for food service companies. Providing the evidence that underpins their better proposals is an important role for us.

－ I didn't realize that manufacturers' sales representatives were so deeply involved! Could you also tell us why you decided to implement our "Food Service AI Research"?

Yes, we had two main objectives.

One was to understand the overall market conditions in the food service industry and to establish the major direction for food service sales. We utilize data as a basis for the management team to judge sales strategies.

For example, we have been advocating for the "quality improvement" of draft beer to the food service companies that are our customers. Of course, we produce good products, but the quality of draft beer is significantly influenced by how it is served at each location. From pouring techniques and server maintenance to how glasses are washed, cooperation from the establishment is essential.

In the current market conditions, we have demonstrated with data that this approach is correct.

Despite expectations that food service customer spending would rise due to inflation, it has actually remained flat. Data has confirmed that customers set a budget before entering a restaurant and reduce their order quantity to avoid exceeding it. We want them to order one more drink or dish. To achieve that, the attraction that makes them willing to pay is becoming more important than ever. Based on this data, we can propose that efforts to raise the quality of draft beer will lead to increased sales for the store.

－ I see. If the activities to improve the quality of beer serving indicate a direct connection to the store's profits through data, we can propose with confidence.

That is correct. The other goal is for sales representatives to use this data as a weapon when making individual proposals to food service companies.

We can grasp detailed data, such as sales by category of drinks and food, and the average number of alcohol orders per person. We can leverage this not only for our own stores but also to reference the market conditions of the entire food service industry when developing new menu items or discussing strategies if the order volume is lower than the average for similar businesses.

Tatsushi Uchiumi, Head of Sales Support Group, Sales Department, Sales Division

－ I believe you have felt the usefulness of data in sales for a long time. What was it like before implementing "Food Service AI Research"?

In the mass merchant sales team, we refer to POS data provided by retail companies not only for our own products but also for competitors' alcoholic beverages and food. All products are tied to their JAN codes, so we can understand what sold and in what quantities.

In the food service domain, there wasn't a database that integrated all POS data in the same way. We received individual POS data from some food service companies, but it was not in sufficient quantity to grasp market conditions.

Even so, we were working on utilizing that data. However, it was cumbersome because the products were not tied to JAN codes like the data we received from retail companies. Even for the same draft beer, the labels differed as "beer," "nama chuu," and "nama," resulting in a huge amount of time and effort spent on organizing master data.

"Food Service AI Research" provides a large volume of POS data in an organized state that can be immediately used for analysis.

Additionally, having near real-time data is very helpful. By the beginning of the week, we can see data from the previous week, allowing us to provide timely information to our customers.

Especially around busy periods, we often receive inquiries from food service companies asking, "How was the market situation during the year-end and New Year?" If we can provide data immediately at that time, they appreciate it.

－ I imagine your department, which manages the data, receives many requests, right?

Yes, that’s right. The market for food service was originally a black box, but once it becomes visible, people are happy and inquiries increase (laughs).

There are about 1,000 sales staff nationwide, and within six months of publishing the data, 255 people have accessed the market data.

Moreover, the more aligned the market data is with the on-site situation, the more useful it becomes. By analyzing it according to the area, business type, seating capacity, and price range of the customer-operated stores, the accuracy of proposals improves even further. We are a small elite team responding to the constant requests for data analysis from sales, which is very challenging (laughs).

－ Thank you. Do you have any requests for Lazuli or "Food Service AI Research"?

While it is sufficient for urban areas and major business types, I feel there is a lack of data volume if we drill down to regional or minor business types. Our sales team serves restaurants across the country, so being able to use highly reliable data anywhere would allow for proposals based on actual conditions.

－ We will make updates in line with your expectations. Lastly, could you share your outlook on the future utilization of data?

Our mission is to create "deliciousness that exceeds expectations and enjoyable life culture" and to aim for general consumers to "enjoy the best products in the best state and with the best mood."

However, we cannot deliver products directly from the manufacturer to the consumer. Beer logistics is said to be "three layers of live sales"; when the manufacturer ships, the products first go to a wholesaler, and then from there to retail liquor stores. In the case of food service, they go through restaurants before reaching the consumer.

Therefore, we must fulfill our mission through various value chains. However, traditionally, many elements in that value chain have become invisible.

While we can know the sales data from wholesalers to retailers, we did not have visibility into the crucial scene of consumption thereafter. Even if we know how many cans of beer a customer bought at the supermarket, we do not know how it is consumed at home.

The POS data from the food service industry clarifies how it is actually consumed, revealing the scenes of drinking and consumption reality. If analyzed precisely, we can see behaviors such as what time beer was consumed, with what kinds of food, how many glasses were drunk, and what was consumed afterward.

This is extremely valuable data from a marketing perspective. There are also high expectations from management, and I have been asked to present the market conditions of food service at board meetings.

President Kazuo Matsuyama comes from a marketing background and is highly aware of the importance of data utilization, so I believe he is considering expanding our focus to the food service sales as well as mass sales divisions.

We have been working on laying the groundwork for our data, but moving forward, we would like to focus more on analysis. By supporting the on-site sales so that we can provide convincing proposals based on evidence to food service companies, we aim to fulfill the mission set by the company while utilizing data.

Tatsushi Uchiumi, Head of Sales Support Group, Sales Department, Sales Division

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Asahi Breweries Homepage: https://www.asahibeer.co.jp/
Lazuli PDP: https://corporate.lazuli.ninja/features/