According to Nikkei, the Amsterdam-based group recently announced 17 key markets until 2030, with Vietnam included. Jacco van der Linden, President of Heineken Asia-Pacific (APAC), considers Vietnam "one of the most attractive markets globally."

Since its entry into Vietnam in 1991, Heineken has invested approximately 1 billion USD. The group is committed to pouring an additional 500 million USD into the country over the next 5-10 years.

Company leadership states that Malaysia and Indonesia are also among the key markets, but Vietnam boasts a significantly larger scale and higher per capita beer consumption. According to van der Linden, this is partly because alcohol consumption in Vietnam is less influenced by religious factors.

A Heineken product. *Photo: Heineken*

Van der Linden praises Vietnam's well-trained workforce, particularly in manufacturing, and its stable business environment. "The government is predictable and stable, and it supports businesses. Knowing changes in advance makes our lives as managers much easier," he stated.

Heineken currently operates the Vung Tau brewery (now located in TP HCM), its largest production facility in Vietnam. The company is expanding the plant with the goal of becoming Asia's largest brewery.

"Brewing is a game of scale, so we want to invest in Vietnam to continue expanding the factory," van der Linden said.

In March, Heineken announced plans to cease operations at its Tiger beer brewery in Singapore and shift production to Vietnam and Malaysia. This decision garnered attention because Tiger is a Singaporean-origin brand, though brand management remains in the island nation.

Heineken explained the decision was driven by economic factors. According to van der Linden, the Singapore facility was old and would require significant investment just to maintain operations, making it less cost-competitive compared to other regional production sites.

By Trong Hieu (via Nikkei)