Singha to distribute Ichitan green tea
Mai Tan, led by its CEO Tan Passakornnatee, has reached an agreement with Singha Corporation for distribution of Ichitan ready-to-drink green tea by focusing on traditional retail and eatery outlets.
Having Singha Corporation as another distributor for Ichitan will strengthen the logistics and distribution currently handled by DKSH, which has focused on the modern retail channel.
Chatchai Wiratyosin, marketing director of Singha Corporation, said that since October last year, Ichitan products had been distributed through the company’s existing distribution network for Singha and Leo beer, as well as other beverages. The company has currently more than 200 exclusive dealers around the country.
“We have got very positive feedback from consumers around the country about Ichitan green tea, thanks to Khun Tan’s successful CSR campaign to help people impacted during the recent flooding,” said Chatchai.
“With a wider and stronger distribution network, consumers can access Ichitan green tea more easily than in the past,” he said.
Chatchai said that it is also a policy of Singha Corporation to extend their business and sales through cooperation with potential business partners rather than relying only on its own products and brands.
Ichitan green tea will be the responsibility of Singha Corporation’s non-alcoholic business division.
Apart from the distribution of Ichitan green tea, Chatchai said that Singha and Mai Tan would have more business cooperation in other strategic areas in the near future.
Chatchai said the company would start producing its Leo beer again by the middle of this month after the production had been halted temporarily due to the flood.
He said the overall beer market in Thailand dropped about 2 per cent last year to Bt120 billion in market value.
Chatchai claimed that Singha Corp’s total market share in the local beer market increased significantly from 63 per cent to 68 per cent last year, while the total market share of Thai Beverage dropped from 32 per cent to 28 per cent.
“Our beer sales grew 6 per cent to 1,200 million litres last year, while the sales of our closest rival, Thai Beverage, dropped significantly by 16 per cent last year. Thai Asia-Pacific sales of overall beer products also dropped 15 per cent last year and now has about 4 per cent share of the market,” said Chatchai.
He said Singha Corp targeted its beer sales to reach 1,250 million litres this year and to achieve about 70 per cent share of the total market.
