This photo from 2010 shows a bottle of Mynanmar Beer on a restaurant table in Bagan, central Myanmar. VOISHMEL / AFP
Japan-based Kirin Holdings has acquired a 55% stake in Myanmar Brewery from Singapore’s Fraser & Neave, bringing an end to a longstanding legal battle.
The company confirmed the $560 million deal yesterday, several media outlets reported.
Myanmar Brewery is run by Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings, which took Fraser & Neave to international arbitration to force their hand after years of squabbling.
The company makes Myanmar Beer, the slightly worse-tasting Andaman Gold, and the scary-sounding Myanmar Double Strong.
Myanmar Brewery dominates something like 80% of the local market due to a lack of option and low prices.
It will soon face competition from Heineken and Carlsberg, which have both opened up breweries this year. But Kirin could help Myanmar Brewery stay well ahead.
And who knows. Maybe, like Carlsberg, they will introduced a new local brew to the market.
“There is much room for further expansion in Myanmar’s beer market,” said Keisuke Nishimura, Kirin’s senior executive officer, as quoted by the Financial Times.
Amen to that.
