ThaiBev seeks up to USD 1 billion in revived Singapore IPO of beer unit

Singapore | Here we go again. Thai Beverage (ThaiBev) is looking to raise as much as USD 1 billion through the revived Singapore Initial Public Offering (IPO). It could be held later this year, various news agencies reported in May 2022.

China’s brewing industry benefits from premiumization

China | During the first year of the covid pandemic, domestic beer sales suffered a sharp decline. The on-premise was hit hardest, due to nationwide lockdowns and the cancellation of social and festival gatherings.

Coke’s U-turn: Australian craft brewer Feral will not be sold

Australia | How to explain Coca Cola Europacific Partners’ strategy swings? Only in October 2021 had CCEP announced its exit from beer and cider, which included the sale of its stand-alone craft brewer Feral. The Coke bottler had concluded that achieving scale in beer and cider would require significant investment.

Japan | Kirin Holdings will withdraw from its business in Myanmar and terminate its joint venture with a military-linked partner, it said on 14 February 2022.

Australia | The Australian Hotels Association and the Brewers Association continue to campaign for a cut to the increased excise on draught beer, which came into effect on 1 February 2022. Their campaign is in support of pubs, and clubs, many of which are small businesses that have endured the most difficult trading conditions because of the pandemic.

Japan | It will all end in tears. In December 2021, Kirin filed for arbitration in Singapore to terminate its joint venture with Myanma Economic Holdings (MEHL), a military-controlled conglomerate with ties into industries as diverse as beer, tobacco, transportation, textiles, tourism and banking.

Thailand | Tens of thousands of tourists, escaping the northern winters, are expected to arrive in Thailand as the country reopened to tourists on 1 November 2021 after 18 months of covid restrictions. Vaccinated visitors from more than 60 “low-risk” nations are allowed to enter without having to quarantine.

China | In early November 2021 drinks company Diageo broke ground on its first, USD 75 million whisky distillery in China. It hopes to turn more local drinkers into whisky lovers, in a market that has long been dominated by baijiu makers like Kweichow Moutai.

China | China’s beer production has been on a downward slope since 2013. In 2020, the domestic beer output stood at 341 million hl, which is a 7 percent decline over 2019. If this downward trend continues, the market leader, China Resources beer, which makes Snow beer, will be lucky to achieve flattish volume sales, observers say.

Australia | After it emerged unscathed from the first covid year, Coopers Brewery saw its beer volumes tumble by 8 percent in the July-to-October period this year due to lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne and uncertainty in other markets.