In March 2007 the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry approved state-owned brewery
Habeco's choice of Carlsberg as strategic partner in connection with the
initial privatization of Habeco.
The initial privatization took place on 28 March 2008, and Habeco has confirmed
that Carlsberg will become the owner of 16% of the shares in Habeco.
Carlsberg will pay the same price per share as other investors who participated
in the public offer (VND 50,015 per share, equal to approx. USD 3.10/share).
The total consideration to be paid by Carlsberg is approx. USD 115.6m, or DKK
545m.
Habeco is market leader in the northern Vietnam where Carlsberg is present
through its brewery joint venture in Hanoi. The partnership will provide
opportunities for both Habeco and Carlsberg to further jointly strengthen their
market positions in northern Vietnam but also in central Vietnam where
Carlsberg is market leader through its brewery joint venture in Hué. Carlsberg
and Habeco are already partners in southern Vietnam where a new brewery will be
constructed.
"Habeco's choice of Carlsberg as strategic partner, and Carlsberg's entry as
shareholder, is a crucial step forward for our businesses in Vietnam, and it
creates a solid foundation for a continuation of the positive co-operation
between Habeco and Carlsberg," says Senior Vice President Jesper B. Madsen,
responsible for Carlsberg's business in Asia.
Carlsberg in Vietnam:
Carlsberg entered Vietnam in 1993 through the formation of at joint venture
with Viet Ha Brewery owned by the Hanoi Peoples Committee. Carlsberg owns 60%
of South East Asia Brewery, which is the name of the operation. In 1995 the
second Carlsberg joint venture was founded through cooperation with the Hue
Peoples Committee in Hué Brewery, of which Carlsberg owns 50%. In 2007
Carlsberg acquired a 30% shareholding in Halong Brewery and later in 2007
Habeco and Carlsberg jointly established a new joint venture in Vung Tau
province outside of Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam.
The Vietnamese beer market:
Similar to other countries in the region the beer market in Vietnam is rapidly
growing. The current consumption level amounts to 19 litres per capita. The
future annual growth is estimated to about 8% - like the Vietnamese GDP.
Contacts:
Media Relations: Jens Peter Skaarup +45 3327 1417
Investor Relations: Mikael Bo Larsen +45 3327 1223
Carlsberg is one of the leading brewery groups in the world, with a large
portfolio of beer and soft drinks brands. Its flagship brand - Carlsberg - is
one of the fastest-growing and best-known beer brands in the world. More than
30,000 people work for Carlsberg in 48 countries, and its products are sold in
more than 150 markets. In 2007 Carlsberg sold more than 115 million hectolitres
of beer, which is about 95 million bottles of beer a day. Find out more at
www.carlsberggroup.com.
