Spotlight: Brewery Takes On a Foreign Flavor

Anheuser-Busch Cos. said it has begun making Kirin Brewery Co.’s Japanese beers at its Van Nuys brewery in an expansion of the two firms’ alliance announced last year. It’s the first time the world’s largest brewer has produced a foreign brand at its facility for distribution in the U.S. Kirin already sells Budweiser in Japan through another joint venture. Japanese sales of Budweiser rose 14% in 1996. Analysts say the joint ventures are important as the firms seek to expand into new Asian markets.