Asia Brewery

Asia Brewery, Inc. is a Philippine beverage company established by Lucio Tan in 1982. It began as a domestic brewer and expanded into a diversified beverage business serving the Philippine market. The company inaugurated its first brewery in Cabuyao, Laguna, and introduced Beer Hausen Pale Pilsen as its initial brand. During its early development it added Max Premium in 1983, Manila Beer in 1985, and Beer Pale Pilsen in 1988. Beer Pale Pilsen, later marketed as Beer na Beer, became one of the company’s best-known domestic beer brands and was launched amid substantial controversy connected with competition in the Philippine beer market. Asia Brewery expanded its brewing capacity in the early 1990s with a second brewery in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental. The facility was reported to have annual beer capacity of approximately two million hectoliters. This expansion supported the company’s effort to compete nationally rather than remain limited to its original Luzon base. The company’s brewery footprint consists of facilities in Cabuyao, Laguna, and El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental. Over time, Asia Brewery broadened its portfolio beyond beer. Its non-alcoholic products have included bottled-water brands such as Summit and Absolute, Pacific Sun iced tea, and sports and energy drinks including 100Plus Isotonic Drink and Cobra Energy Drink. The company has also participated in alcoholic mixed drinks through products associated with Tanduay, including Tanduay Ice and Tanduay Black. These activities reflect its position within the wider LT Group consumer-products portfolio rather than that of a narrowly focused beer producer. The company has also used licensing, distribution and joint-venture arrangements to extend its offering. It has brewed Colt 45 under license and distributed Asahi Super Dry in the Philippines. Earlier licensing relationships included Carlsberg, Budweiser, Lone Star, Coors Original and Coors Light. In 2016, Asia Brewery announced an agreement with Heineken International involving AB Heineken Philippines, Inc., intended to brew and distribute Heineken brands and to distribute Heineken and Tiger Beer. Other portfolio initiatives included Philippine bottling of Virgin Cola through InterBev Philippines, distribution of Vitamilk soy milk beginning in 2011, a yogurt venture with Grupo Leche Pascual through AB Pascual Foods, and the licensed manufacture and distribution of ready-to-drink Nestea announced in 2014. Asia Brewery is therefore best understood as a diversified Philippine beverage manufacturer with a core brewing heritage. Its business combines locally developed brands, licensed international products, distribution agreements and affiliated consumer-beverage ventures. The company remains associated with the LT Group and operates primarily in the Philippines. Public reference material does not provide sufficient current information to establish a complete list of present-day brands, leadership appointments, financial results or international sales markets.

Asia Brewery was established by Lucio Tan on January 27, 1982, as a Philippine brewing company. Its first brewery was inaugurated in Cabuyao, Laguna, alongside the launch of Beer Hausen Pale Pilsen. The company’s initial growth came through a sequence of domestic beer introductions: Max Premium appeared in 1983, Manila Beer in 1985, and Beer Pale Pilsen in 1988. The latter brand was subsequently known as Beer na Beer and became a central part of the company’s domestic beer identity. Its introduction was controversial, reflecting the intense rivalry surrounding beer brands in the Philippines. The company expanded production geographically in the early 1990s. A second brewery was inaugurated in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental, with reported annual beer capacity of two million hectoliters. The two-site structure gave Asia Brewery a production presence in both northern and southern parts of the country and supported broader national distribution. Asia Brewery did not remain solely a beer producer. It developed or marketed bottled water under the Summit and Absolute brands, introduced Pacific Sun iced tea, and entered sports and energy drinks through 100Plus Isotonic Drink and Cobra Energy Drink. Its alcoholic beverage activities also included mixed drinks associated with Tanduay, such as Tanduay Ice and Tanduay Black. The resulting portfolio made the company a diversified beverage participant within the LT Group. Licensing and distribution became important elements of its growth strategy. Asia Brewery brewed Colt 45 under license and at different times held or exercised licensing arrangements for Carlsberg, Budweiser, Lone Star, Coors Original and Coors Light. It also distributed Asahi Super Dry. In 2007, its subsidiary InterBev Philippines bottled Virgin Cola in the Philippines, although that activity later ended. In 2011, the company added Vitamilk soy milk distribution rights. The following year it formed AB Pascual Foods with Grupo Leche Pascual to introduce Creamy Delight yogurt and consider local production. In March 2014, Asia Brewery announced that it had secured the license to manufacture and distribute ready-to-drink Nestea in the Philippines, replacing Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines in that activity. In May 2016, it announced an agreement with Heineken International to establish AB Heineken Philippines, Inc. The proposed venture was intended to brew and distribute Heineken products, while Asia Brewery also announced plans to distribute Heineken and Tiger Beer. Asia Brewery’s breweries are identified with Eton City in Cabuyao, Laguna, and El Salvador City in Misamis Oriental. The company is owned by LT Group, Inc., the publicly listed holding company associated with Lucio Tan. Available reference material confirms its continuing corporate identity and broad beverage activities but does not provide enough reliable current information to document present executives, current financial performance, exact market shares, or the complete status of every historical brand and license.

1. 2016Heineken Philippines venture announced

   Asia Brewery announced an agreement with Heineken International involving AB Heineken Philippines, Inc.

   Source
2. 2014Ready-to-drink Nestea license acquired

   Asia Brewery announced a license to manufacture and distribute ready-to-drink Nestea in the Philippines.

   Source
3. 2012AB Pascual Foods established

   The company formed a yogurt-focused joint venture with Grupo Leche Pascual.

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4. 2011Vitamilk distribution rights acquired

   Asia Brewery acquired Philippine distribution rights for Vitamilk soy milk and received an option related to potential local manufacturing.

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5. 2007Virgin Cola bottling arrangement begins

   InterBev Philippines, an Asia Brewery subsidiary, became the Philippine bottler of Virgin Cola until the brand’s operations closed.

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6. 1992Second brewery inaugurated

   The company inaugurated its second brewery in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental, with reported annual capacity of two million hectoliters.

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7. 1988Beer Pale Pilsen launched

   Asia Brewery launched Beer Pale Pilsen, later marketed as Beer na Beer, amid controversy.

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8. 1985Manila Beer introduced

   The company added Manila Beer to its domestic brewing portfolio.

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9. 1983Max Premium introduced

   Asia Brewery expanded its beer portfolio with the introduction of Max Premium.

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10. 1982Company established and first brewery opened

    Lucio Tan established Asia Brewery on January 27, 1982. The company inaugurated its Cabuyao, Laguna brewery and launched Beer Hausen Pale Pilsen.

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Mass-market and diversified beverage manufacturer serving the Philippine market, with a traditional beer business complemented by water, soft drinks, sports drinks, dairy products and licensed international brands.

• Beer na BeerDomestic beer1988

  Beer na Beer is the later name associated with Asia Brewery’s Beer Pale Pilsen, launched in 1988. It is one of the company’s principal locally developed beer brands and forms part of its mass-market Philippine brewing portfolio.

• Colt 45Licensed beer

  Asia Brewery brews Colt 45 under license for the Philippine market. The brand represents the company’s participation in licensed international beer operations alongside its own domestic labels.

• SummitBottled water

  Summit is one of the bottled-water brands associated with Asia Brewery’s diversification beyond beer and its expansion into non-alcoholic packaged beverages.

• AbsoluteBottled water

  Absolute is a bottled-water brand included in Asia Brewery’s non-alcoholic beverage portfolio.

• Cobra Energy DrinkEnergy drink

  Cobra Energy Drink is part of Asia Brewery’s sports and energy-drink activities and extends the company’s reach into functional beverages consumed outside the traditional beer category.

• Asahi Super DryDistributed beer

  Asia Brewery distributes Asahi Super Dry in the Philippines. Unlike Beer na Beer, it is an international brand handled through a distribution relationship.

• Pacific SunIced tea

  Pacific Sun is an iced-tea product associated with Asia Brewery’s move into non-alcoholic refreshment beverages.

• 100Plus Isotonic DrinkSports drink

  100Plus Isotonic Drink is part of the company’s sports-drink portfolio and illustrates its use of beverage licensing and distribution beyond beer.

• 2016Establishment of proposed AB Heineken Philippines ventureM&A

  Asia Brewery sought to broaden its international beer activities through an agreement with Heineken International.

  What changed. The companies announced plans for AB Heineken Philippines, Inc. to brew and distribute Heineken brands, with distribution of Heineken and Tiger Beer also announced.

  Aftermath. The reference material confirms the announcement but does not establish the venture’s subsequent operating status or financial outcome.

  Source
• 2014Ready-to-drink Nestea licensing decisionProduct launch

  The ready-to-drink Nestea business in the Philippines had previously been handled by Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines.

  What changed. Asia Brewery acquired the license to manufacture and distribute the product in the Philippines.

  Aftermath. The available source does not provide later sales, market-share or financial information.

  Source
• 2012AB Pascual Foods yogurt joint ventureM&A

  Asia Brewery pursued diversification into dairy products through cooperation with Spanish dairy company Grupo Leche Pascual.

  What changed. The parties established AB Pascual Foods, initially importing Creamy Delight yogurt while considering a Philippine manufacturing facility.

  Aftermath. The reference material does not document whether the contemplated manufacturing facility was built or the venture’s later performance.

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• 2016Asia Brewery signs Heineken Philippines venture agreement

  Asia Brewery announced an agreement with Heineken International to establish AB Heineken Philippines, Inc. The planned venture was intended to brew and distribute Heineken brands and to distribute Heineken and Tiger Beer in the Philippines.

  M&A
  Source
• 2014Asia Brewery acquires ready-to-drink Nestea license

  The company announced that it had acquired the license to manufacture and distribute the ready-to-drink version of Nestea in the Philippines, taking over from Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines.

  Product launch
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• 2012Asia Brewery enters yogurt through AB Pascual Foods

  Asia Brewery announced a joint venture with Spanish dairy company Grupo Leche Pascual, later known as Calidad Pascual, to enter the Philippine yogurt market with Creamy Delight and evaluate local manufacturing.

  M&AProduct launch
  Source
• 2011Asia Brewery obtains Philippine Vitamilk distribution rights

  Asia Brewery acquired Philippine distribution rights for Vitamilk soy milk from Thailand’s Green Spot Company, with an option connected to possible local manufacturing under a joint-venture arrangement.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2007Asia Brewery becomes Virgin Cola bottler in the Philippines

  Through subsidiary InterBev Philippines, Asia Brewery became the Philippine bottler of Virgin Cola. The arrangement later ended when Virgin Cola operations closed.

  Product launch
  Source

1. Asia Brewery