Post by : Badri Ariffin

Japan’s Asahi Group is striving to normalize its logistics operations across the country by February, following a significant cyberattack in late September that led to widespread disruptions.

The renowned beverage producer, particularly famous for its Super Dry beer, reported that the attack on September 29 halted crucial operations such as order fulfillment, shipping, and customer service. Numerous restaurants, bars, and retail locations in Japan faced shortages of Asahi products, emphasizing the extent of the attack's impact.

In addition, Asahi disclosed that personal data for 1.52 million customers could have been compromised. Furthermore, information regarding approximately 114,000 business affiliates and 275,000 current and former employees and their families might also have been exposed. The company assured that none of this sensitive information has appeared online to date.

Production returned to six domestic factories within a week of the incident, but the repercussions lingered throughout October, as sales in its primary beverage and food segments fell between 10% and 40% compared to the same month last year.

The cyberattack, attributed to ransomware group Qilin in early October, also compelled Asahi to postpone its financial reporting timeline. The complete financial results for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, will be released more than 50 days after the fiscal year concludes. Furthermore, the third-quarter earnings report, initially scheduled for November 12, has likewise been delayed by over 45 days.

Despite these hurdles, Asahi affirms it is making consistent progress in its recovery initiatives and is prioritizing the stabilization of supply to avert additional shortages in the domestic market.

#Global News #Business News #Economic News