Singha forays into non-alcohol market with Sanvo
Singha Corp has spent Bt150 million on the launch of its first sports drink, Sanvo, with the aim to expand its non-alcoholic beverages to 30 per cent of its product portfolio within three years from 12 per cent currently.
Marketing director Prurit Bhirombhakdi said the company’s strategy was to continue developing and introducing non-alcoholic drinks to the market.
The focus will also be on selling its products in |neighbouring markets such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos as well as other Asean markets to cash in on the implementation of the Asean Economic Community in 2015.
The company has already spent more than Bt200 million on installing a production line for sports drinks at its bottling plant on Samsen Road in Bangkok. The capacity will be about 12 million litres per year.
The Bt4.2-billion sports-drink market is growing at 21 per cent annually. Singha targets 9 million litres in sales of Sanvo this year, or 15-20 per cent of the market.
TC Pharmaceutical Industries’ Sponsor brand dominates the market with a share of 80 per cent, followed by Osotspa’s M Sport with 15 per cent.
Fraser and Neave, a Singapore-based beverage firm recently purchased by Thai liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, plans to add a competitor called 100 Plus to the sports-drink market soon.
About 70 per cent of Sanvo is to be distributed through traditional stores and 30 per cent through the modern trade.
