The global brewer says the facility will help it serve more than 90m consumers in Vietnam, with its opening labelled a milestone in a strategy to embrace the potential of beer across Southeast Asia.
The brewery in Binh Duong province (situated just north of Ho Chi Minh City and chosen for its strategic geographical location) will produce Budweiser and Beck’s. It covers a 100,000 sq m site and will have a production capacity of 500,000 hl a year by the end of its first phase (with potential to expand to 1m hl).
Michel Doukeris, zone president Asia Pacific, AB InBev, said his region is the third largest area for AB InBev in volume terms.
“Vietnam is considered the next turning point for us in Southeast Asia,” he said. “It has a strong beer culture, a friendly business environment, very competitive labour force, and is strategically located within the ASEAN region to reach the world’s first-class active trade centres.”
He added the company will continue to invest in an expanded footprint in the country.
AB InBev has also been developing a distribution network and pre- and post- sales services in the area, so it can reach all local markets in the country.
It says the Binh Duong brewery will use advanced beer brewery technologies, which will contribute to energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.
The opening ceremony yesterday was attended by Michel Doukeris, Ricardo Vasques (general director of ABInBev Vietnam) and other senior executives from AB InBev. Members of the People Committee of Binh Duong Province, the Vietnam Beer, Alcohol and Beverage Association, the US Consul General and the Belgium Ambassador in Vietnam were also present.
