Carlsberg committed to long-term investment in Thailand

What is Carlsberg’s target for returning as a market leader in the premium beer segment?

Thailand is a very important market for the Carlsberg Group. The beer market is extremely large and Thai consumers enjoy all sorts of beers, from local brands like Leo to more expensive super-premium brands that you now see in upscale bars and restaurants.

The Carlsberg Group is renowned for its vast portfolio from around the world, and we see more and more opportunities to introduce popular choices to the Thai market. Apart from the Carlsberg brand, we also have Beerlao, which is becoming extremely popular, and we have recently launched Kronenbourg 1664 – the best-selling French beer in the world.

What do you think about the premium beer segment in Thailand, and do you have any plan to penetrate the standard beer market?

The premium and super-premium beer segments in Thailand will continue to grow as consumers begin to appreciate different types of beers and experiences. The Carlsberg Group will continue to participate in these segments, as we feel we have a competitive advantage with our portfolio from around the world as we hold a number-1 or number-2 position in 80 per cent of the markets we operate in.

What is the plan in the next three to five years for the Thai market in terms of marketing and investment?

The Carlsberg Group will continue to invest in Thailand and we believe the alcohol and beer markets will start to show promising growth, especially in the super-premium beer segments. Our plans are to use our portfolio to gain leadership positions in these segments.

The Carlsberg brand will continue to be an important brand as we want consumers and our customers to enjoy "Probably the best beer in the world", and we have also seen positive signs with increasing draught beer volumes around pubs and beer gardens in Bangkok and other key cities.

We also feel that Thai men and women will find Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc matches their taste and image.

Last but not least, Beerlao continues its high double-digit volume growth, and we will continue to invest behind this brand as it is one of the fastest-growing imported beer brands in Thailand.

What is the business strategy for Carlsberg’s draught beer in Thailand?

Carlsberg has played a very important part in the beer industry. Our founder JC Jacobson discovered the methods of purifying yeast at the Carlsberg laboratories, and it was perhaps one of the most important advances in the history of beer science. Without it, we would not have a type of beer that is now 90 per cent of the market.

And this is why our draught beer in Thailand is very important. We believe it gives consumers a real taste of what great quality beer is. In the previous year alone, we have seen our draught beer volumes grow more than 20 per cent and we will continue to be aggressive with our draught agenda because we believe consumers enjoy this extremely great-tasting beer.

What’s the marketing strategy and investment plan for the regional market?

In mainland Southeast Asia, the Carlsberg Group enjoys a strong leadership position. We are market leaders in Laos with Beerlao the local power brand, in Cambodia with Angkor Beer, and in Vietnam with Huda.

We have recently begun our participation in Myanmar, with the Carlsberg brand playing in the premium beer segment and Yoma the local beer brand.

With the Asean Economic Community taking full affect, we see more opportunities for these brands being enjoyed across the region, as you can already see Thai consumers enjoying Beerlao – and vice versa, the Singha and Leo brands being offered across the region in Cambodia and Laos.