ThaiBev's F&B buying spree could make it a dominant regional player

SINGAPORE (Jan 15): Thai Beverage’s recently released annual report — for FY2017 ended September — highlights the company’s growing regional presence. “We have expanded further in Southeast Asia and are now an even more significant player in the region’s beverage industry,” says the company’s chairman, Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, in his message to shareholders.

“The branding and route-to-market collaboration between ThaiBev and Fraser and Neave, as well as the coordination of sales and marketing initiatives among us with the support of agents, has facilitated business expansion to other countries in the region,” he says. Through its shared distribution network with F&N, ThaiBev is selling its Chang beer in Vietnam and Oishi green tea in Myanmar. Through the manufacturing base of Malaysia-listed Fraser & Neave Holdings, ThaiBev has also expanded into the halal market in Southeast Asia.

Charoen also highlights ThaiBev’s October 2017 acquisition of a 75% stake in Grand Royal Group, the largest player in Myanmar’s whisky market. “The acquisition is an important step for ThaiBev as we further expand in Southeast Asia. Myanmar’s spirits industry is growing rapidly and proving to be one of the key markets for such products in the region, and we believe that we can work with the Grand Royal Group to co-create collective growth by sharing the knowledge and expertise we have derived from our experience in the spirits business in Thailand and Scotland,” he says. Grand Royal commands a 60% share of Myanmar’s whisky market.

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