Foreign Brands To Enter Thai Beer Market

[george]

Foreign brands to enter Thai beer market

BANGKOK: -- Several leading international beer brands are set to enter Thailand's annual 1.3-billion-litre beer industry, currently dominated by local brands.

Thai Asia Pacific Brewery, which makes Heineken locally and dominates the premium segment, is launching at least two new brands this year, including Tiger.

Philippines-based San Miguel announced plans to enter the fray with beers to suit every budget.

Established local brewers appear largely unconcerned.

"We at Chang welcome the newcomers into this competitive market," said Thanit Thamsukati of Beer Thai, makers of Chang beer.

Thai beer consumption has gone up from 200 million liters in 1995 to 1.3 billion liters last year.

--UPI 2004-03-16

[george]

Follow-up:

Beer competition frothing up

BANGKOK: -- The country's annual 1.3-billion-litre beer industry, currently dominated by just a few local and international firms, will soon be diluted by new foreign players.

Thai Asia Pacific Brewery, which makes Heineken locally and dominates the premium segment, is ready to contest the upper-medium slot by launching at least two new brands this year, including Tiger.

Meanwhile, Philippines-based San Miguel last week announced plans to enter the fray with beers to suit every budget.

"Our beer is very famous in the region and we're quite confident we can compete in the Thai market," said Ramon Ang, San Miguel's vice chairman, president and chief executive officer.

"We have a 95-per-cent share of the market in the Philippines and expect that our beer will definitely be something good for the people of Thailand to try," he said.

While San Mig Light will tap drinkers at the premium-price end, San Miguel beer itself is aimed at the medium end and Red Horse at drinkers who prefer a high alcohol content.

For those who spend the least on their suds, San Miguel is introducing Gold Eagle.

Ang said the complete line would hit the local market within two years as the firm develops a dealership system for both its beer and non-alcoholic beverages.

Established local brewers appear largely unconcerned.

"We at Chang welcome the newcomers into this competitive market," said Thanit Thamsukati of Beer Thai (1991), makers of Chang beer. "The beer market this year will be more exciting because the existing players will hold parties to welcome the freshmen," he said.

Thanit said he believed Chang - which has gone from a zero to a 70-per-cent share of the beer market in only nine years - is popular enough to stand up to additional competition.

Local beer drinkers consumed 200 million litres in 1995, the year Chang appeared on the scene. Last year they downed more than 1.3 billion litres.

Beer Thai (1991) produced 1.07 billion litres of Chang last year, up from 800 million litres in 2002.

"We believe in our ability to defend the market," Thanit said, "but we have to work harder both in sales and manufacturing."

Beer Thai (1991) yesterday said its new Chang draught would be available at 100 restaurants from Friday in a bid to widen distribution.

"We want a 50-per-cent share of the 25-million-litre draught-beer market by the end of this year," Thanit said.

Boon Rawd Brewery's marketing manager Chutchai Wiratyosin, the manugfacturer of Singha beer, said Chang needed to launch its own draught beer to replace Carlsberg, which stopped selling draught in Thailand following a dispute between Denmark's Carlsberg Breweries A/S and its Thai partner.

"The disappear of Carlsberg draught from the market will make customers shift to other brands like Heineken and Singha," Chutchai said.

--The Nation 2004-03-16

[jayenram]

Local beer drinkers consumed 200 million litres in 1995, the year Chang appeared on the scene. Last year they downed more than 1.3 billion litres.

I wasn't here in 1995!

[Pink Mist]

Jaye works for Chang as an unpaid quality control tester.

[sonthaya]

Carlsber has been there for years, it's Danish

[unbiasbob]

I've got to tell you that I used to drink 6 beers a day in my home country and now drink zero beers per day in thailand. Why? The taste of beer in this country is nasty in my opinion. I won't drink a thai brewed beer. This country needs to get with the program and allow imports to be sold at a reasonable price. 180 baht for a Guiness and 110 for a Bud does not cut it. Go to most any country and get a beer variety. Go to thailand and get same old 10 thai brands. Scuse me I gotta get sick now

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Local beer drinkers consumed 200 million litres in 1995, the year Chang appeared on the scene. Last year they downed more than 1.3 billion litres.

I wasn't here in 1995!

But dear Jaye, George was, and he personally caused the enormous vertical sales increase in the Kingdom. He will take a beer on a hot day will our George. and luckily it is hot in the tropics.

[Pink Mist]

I've got to tell you that I used to drink 6 beers a day in my home country and now drink zero beers per day in thailand. Why? The taste of beer in this country is nasty in my opinion. I won't drink a thai brewed beer. This country needs to get with the program and allow imports to be sold at a reasonable price. 180 baht for a Guiness and 110 for a Bud does not cut it. Go to most any country and get a beer variety. Go to thailand and get same old 10 thai brands. Scuse me I gotta get sick now

well bob I dunno where you buy your beer from but I can get a cold VB stubbie in KhonKaen for 90 baht, thats cheaper than in OZ.

As far as Bud goes I dont think 110 baht is enough I reckon they should pay you at least a 1000 to drink that dishwater.

[350torana]

VB, that is scraping the bottom of the barrel a little bit . Where i come from it stands for "very bad" maybe their should be an F in the middle.

I think Thai beers are pretty good(except Thai beer), used to drink Singha but now a Chung man. Hard to beat the 3 for 100 baht . Anyways,i think after the first 2 or 3 it all tastes the same

[Boon Mee]

This is indeed good news! Maybe I'll get to drink some Coronas while sitting on the beach in LOS and think I'm in Mexico.

[unbiasbob]

I've got to tell you that I used to drink 6 beers a day in my home country and now drink zero beers per day in thailand. Why? The taste of beer in this country is nasty in my opinion. I won't drink a thai brewed beer. This country needs to get with the program and allow imports to be sold at a reasonable price. 180 baht for a Guiness and 110 for a Bud does not cut it. Go to most any country and get a beer variety. Go to thailand and get same old 10 thai brands. Scuse me I gotta get sick now

well bob I dunno where you buy your beer from but I can get a cold VB stubbie in KhonKaen for 90 baht, thats cheaper than in OZ.

As far as Bud goes I dont think 110 baht is enough I reckon they should pay you at least a 1000 to drink that dishwater.

Nothing like an ice cold Bud, trust me. I've consumed thousands of them. I've only had a few sips of thai beers and man they were horrible. Gimme some cheaper imports please. How about some Guiness for less than 180 baht

[stumonster]

as long as fosters doesn't get over here...

cause ruin to an australians reputation..

haven't had a coopers pale ale in a long time though...

[mbkudu]

I've said it once and I'll say it again, I'd rather drink my own piss than Chang or Singha. I've used it to kill insects eating plants on my balcony. (the beer that is)

[kurgen]

Stella Artois and Kronenbourg 1664, are they were the days.

[george]

Next move for Carlsberg

New ways to re-enter Thai market sought

BANGKOK: -- The Danish brewer Carlsberg is looking at ways to re-enter the highly competitive Thai beer market, from which it had to retreat in February as a result of ongoing legal disputes with its local partner controlled by Thai liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi.

Margrethe Skov, a director at the Carlsberg A/S headquarters in Copenhagen, affirmed the group's intention of getting Carlsberg back on the Thai market as the prospects of reconciliation between the Danish brewer and Mr Charoen's group seem remote, if not impossible.

Furthermore, Mr Charoen no longer sees the need for a foreign beer brand in his alcoholic beverage lineup but would rather devote his resources to promoting his own Chang brand, the leader in Thailand's 80-billion-baht plus beer market.

``It is a waste of energy to sell a premium foreign beer brand. We are better off selling Chang,'' said Thanit Thamsukati, an adviser to Mr Charoen.

Ms Skov stopped short of saying how Carlsberg would return to the Thai market. ``There are of course a number of possibilities ... and until we have come to a conclusion I can't give any specific information,'' she said.

Carlsberg and Chang Beverages Pte Ltd, a Singapore-incorporated firm led by Mr Charoen, are now involved in arbitration in London, but an amicable settlement is not expected soon.

Ms Skov said the arbitration ``could run for a considerable length of time'', a view echoed by a Bangkok-based industry expert, who said the chance of both parties agreeing to renew their partnership looked slim.

Carlsberg Brewery (Thailand), a joint venture between Mr Charoen's group and Carlsberg, suspended production and distribution of Carlsberg, brewed at its Wang Noi facility in Ayutthaya, on Feb 10, after the eight-month-old disagreement escalated.

Chang Beverages claims that management changes at Carlsberg in 2001 led the latter to unilaterally attempt to end the Carlsberg Brewery (Thailand) joint venture, culminating in the removal by Carlsberg of several Chang-nominated directors in March last year.

Consequently, Chang Beverages filed suit against Carlsberg for US$500 million in compensation for the damage.

The longer Carlsberg is absent from the Thai market, the harder it will be to return, said the local expert, who asked not to be named, adding that any re-entry could only take place when the arbitration is concluded.

``Re-establishing [the brand] in the Thai market may not be easy, as you have to re-create brand awareness and consumer acceptance and regain creditability among dealers,'' he said, adding that Carlsberg as a brand lacked the kind of recognition locally that it had on the international market.

The perception at Carlsberg has been that Mr Charoen had paid insufficient attention to promoting the brand in the Thai market ever since local licensed production started in 1993. However, local demand for premium beer is seen as quite limited when compared with the mass-market segment where Chang has thrived.

The Wang Noi brewery, built at a cost of 3.64 billion baht by Carlsberg Brewery (Thailand), produced 33.6 million litres of Carlsberg last year. In the premium segment, Carlsberg was estimated to have a 16% market share last year.

The premium beer segment grew 6% in 2003 to about eight billion baht. On the other hand, the economy beer segment, in which Chang holds an 82% share, expanded by 25% to 56.2 billion baht.

Chang, meanwhile, is looking to further consolidate its dominance with the introduction of a draught version.

--The Post 2004-04-26

[Sick Boy]

Used to drink Chang but just couldn't handle the 'changovers' the next day.

I've drank Heineken for years even though it's really not that good.

Now I buy Asahi which is far superior and very clean and only 58 baht a big bottle from Carrefour.

I welcome the addition of Tiger to the market. Great beer. Never had San Miguel though.

All this has made me thirsty.

[mbkudu]

I agree with Sickboy, Asahi is a good, clean beer. It's a Japanese beer, but is it brewed in Thailand?

[kurgen]

When I lived in Spain I used to drink San Miguel all the time.

Then I went to Hong Kong for a while. I found the s.m un-drinkable, tasted like it had been fermented in dirty underwear

[Sick Boy]

I agree with Sickboy, Asahi is a good, clean beer. It's a Japanese beer, but is it brewed in Thailand?

Just checked the label and surpisingly it says

"Brewed and bottled under supervision of Asahi Breweries Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. By Khon Kaen Breweries, Khon Kaen, Thailand"

That's why you only pay 58 baht a bottle.

I'd better open it now, it'll get warm.

[tutsiwarrior]

fukc beer...drink vodka, 70 cl bottle of Kermanoff at tesco 235 baht and coke and sprite mixers are cheap...a wonderful alternative to the local and imported swill that passes for 'beer'

[Mai Krap]

ASAHI is great beer,,,,,, Sometime this year Im told they will have KEGS,,,,, Maybe Ill have to get a new refrigiration device,,,,, My old lady keeps trying to put food in ours.... The Manegment at KHON KAEN BREWERY are super nice people..... There are tours available but not sure about times,,,,,, The BREWERY is one IMPRESSIVE place.....You can have cans delivered in KK for 700 baht a 24case.... AH iced down ASAHI cans,,,,, Who needs air con......Unfortunatly it is not available at most bars but on a recent trip to NANA I saw and drank it at all the down stairs outside bars,,,,,,, 90 baht small bottle...... Ive also found them at most golf courses......

[Sick Boy]

Maybe Ill have to get a new refrigiration device,,,,, My old lady keeps trying to put food in ours....

LOL!!

I with you on the vodka tutsi but I generally buy Finlandia. Price between 480-520 for 750ml. Almost identical to Absolute in my view and you get more for less.

The best I've had so far is Grey Goose which I bought from the Duty Free coming in to Don Muang (next to the baggage claim). 1,380 a litre and quite simply, superb. Distilled in France in only small batches. Try it if you get the chance.

A large vodka with a generous squeeze of lime topped up with soda, helps one get through these face meltingly hot days.

[mbkudu]

I agree with Sickboy, Asahi is a good, clean beer. It's a Japanese beer, but is it brewed in Thailand?

Just checked the label and surpisingly it says

"Brewed and bottled under supervision of Asahi Breweries Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. By Khon Kaen Breweries, Khon Kaen, Thailand"

That's why you only pay 58 baht a bottle.

I'd better open it now, it'll get warm.

It's a pretty good copy I must say. A lot of 'Brewed under supervision' beers just don't taste the same (as good); Heinekin is one. In Thailand it's pretty decent but in the US it's better and I'm sure in Holland it is great.

[mbkudu]

Chang and Singha are not beers. Bed pan disinfectants, ok.

[Up2U]

When I lived in Spain I used to drink San Miguel all the time.

Then I went to Hong Kong for a while. I found the s.m un-drinkable, tasted like it had been fermented in dirty underwear

San Mig in Spain has only a loose connection to San Mig Phillipines now.

San Mig HK is brewed by the same brewery as Heineken - under licence from the Philippines SM. Guarantees a hangover after one can. But the Flip San Mig is excellent - don't know what has gone wrong in HK, but it really is bad.

Let's hope they don't tie up with Heineken here, or send 'experts' from HK to run it.

[350torana]

I think after two or three beers taste does not matter(Thai beer exempted , bloody horrible) Noticed in 7/11's in Singapore they sell Singha and Chang but Chang is only at 5% instead of 6.4% . One thing u have the love about Thai beers is they don't hold back on the firepower . Back in Australia most beers are about 4-5% and alot more expensive. Can't wait for the day the ridiculus tax is taken of imported wines. 600 baht for a bottle of Jacob's Creek <deleted>!!!!

[elephantspike]

Has anyone tried Beer Chang yet?

Get it? Chang yet!

[kurgen]

eeerr... no , I don't?

[elephantspike]

chang yet : a vulgar Thai idiom. literal meaning, to get, um, you know, like horizontal with an elephant. It is used to describe some one who is excesively promiscuous.

[Cheech & Chong]

I've said it once and I'll say it again, I'd rather drink my own piss than Chang or Singha. I've used it to kill insects eating plants on my balcony. (the beer that is)

roflmao