Vietnam: Carlsberg selected strategic partner of Vietnamese brewery Habeco

The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry has approved state-owned brewery Habeco's choice of Carlsberg as strategic partner, according to Carlsberg’s press release, March 2.

Habeco is market leader in the Northern Vietnam where Carlsberg is present through its brewery-joint venture in Hanoi. The partnership will provide opportunities for both Habeco and Carlsberg to further strengthen their market positions in Northern Vietnam but also in Central Vietnam where Carlsberg is market leader through its brewery-joint venture in Hué.

24% of Habeco will shortly be privatized. Carlsberg has been reserved 10% and the remaining 14% will be sold to employees and the public.

The Habeco/Carlsberg-partnership is expected to materialize in a number of areas among which joint investment in brewery projects is the most significant.
"The engagement with Habeco is an important part of our strategy to develop our business in Asia through partnerships and investment in market leading companies", says Senior Vice President Jesper B. Madsen, responsible for Carlsberg's business in Asia.

Carlsberg in Vietnam:

Carlsberg entered Vietnam in 1993 through the formation of at joint venture with Viet Ha Brewery owned by the
Hanoi Peoples Committee. Carlsberg owns 60% of South East Asia Brewery, which is the name of the operation. In 1995 the second Carlsberg joint venture was founded through cooperation with the Hue Peoples Committee in Hué Brewery, of which Carlsberg owns 50%.

The Vietnamese beer market:

Similar to other countries in the region the beer market in Vietnam is rapidly growing. The current consumption level amounts to 13 litres per capita. The future annual growth is estimated to about 8% - like the Vietnamese GDP.

About Carlsberg

Carlsberg is one of the leading brewing groups in the world, with a large portfolio of beer and soft drinks brands. Its flagship brand – Carlsberg – is one of the fastest-growing and best-known beer brands in the world. More than 30,000 people work for Carlsberg at 92 local production sites in 48 countries, and its products are sold in more than 150 markets. In 2006 Carlsberg sold more than 100 million hectolitres of beer, which is about 83 million bottles of beer a day.

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