Beer the First

Beer the First is a craft‑beer maker that repurposes food on the brink of being discarded. Through its products, the company seeks a society where the natural environment and human lifestyle culture circulate in healthier harmony. The project began in August 2021, when the Bread Square bakery at Yokohama Takashimaya supplied nearly unsold bread left at closing time; the result was RE:BREAD, an eco‑friendly beer designed to cut food waste.

Focusing on carbohydrates, which is the largest food‑loss category, Beer the First has co‑created more than 30 craft beers (as of January 2025). Using enzymes in malt and yeast fermentation, it upcycles soon‑to‑expire hardtack and instant rice from emergency reserves in its ”Thumb” Series, surplus rice from the JAL International Lounge at Narita Airport in ”Japan Arigato Lager,” and noodle off‑cuts from a noodle factory in Kamen Butokai, among many others.

In Yokohama, October 2024, the company teamed up with Yokohama Takashimaya, REVO BREWING, and Yokohama Winery to launch “YOKOHAMA Vineyard Ale,” a craft beer that incorporates grape pomace left after pressing organically grown wine grapes. By partnering with local firms, the beer not only reduces food waste but has also become a popular new Yokohama souvenir that showcases the city’s appeal.

1. Upcycling discarded food into craft beer to cut food loss

Beer the First substitutes part of its malt with near‑discard food. According to Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, food loss totaled 4.72 million tons in fiscal 2022, with 2.36 million tons coming from businesses. By transforming ingredients discarded for reasons like “imminent sell‑by date” or “processing scraps” into beer, the project helps shrink business‑sector food loss. Japan’s craft‑beer market has grown rapidly since 2020; by honing packages, ingredients, and regional character, these beers command high added value.

2. Building a circular model through partnerships with companies and municipalities

Beer the First co‑creates with a wide range of businesses and local governments, using craft beer to tackle food‑loss issues and generate new regional specialties. Collaborating with products and services that already have established brands not only secures a stable supply of ingredients but also boosts the likelihood of producing high‑value offerings for companies, municipalities, and consumers alike. A good example is a local-production-local-consumption beer that upcycles expiring emergency rations from buildings owned by Mitsubishi Estate and sells the finished product within the same area. By treating current food loss as a resource and upcycling it, the company promotes regional circularity and nudges partner businesses toward more sustainable, closed‑loop models.

3. Pursuing deliciousness and fun to broaden engagement with food‑loss issues

Motivated by the desire to solve social issues in a tasty, enjoyable way, Beer the First highlights the unique flavors and stories that only upcycled products can offer, raising awareness of food waste through craft beer. By pairing the popular appeal of craft beer with social challenges, the company grabs consumer attention with “interesting ingredients” and “cute labels,” proposes food pairings, and insists on beers whose intrinsic quality makes people value them. Rather than focusing solely on environmental topics, the beer elicits positive emotions such as deliciousness and enjoyment. This approach helps draw in consumers and partner companies, expanding the number of people actively working to reduce food loss.