BATTLE BREWING OVER LUCRATIVE VIETNAM BEERS

BREWERS have worked up a thirst for Vietnam’s booming beer industry as stakes in two of the country’s biggest players go up for sale.

Brewing giants Heineken, Carlsberg and AB InBev are reportedly eyeing up stakes in Habeco and Sabeco.

The hotly anticipated sell-off is being spearheaded by Vietnam’s government, which is divesting shares in some state-owned companies.

Sabeco and Habeco, which dominate the market in Vietnam, are expected to fetch £4bn and £839m respectively. Vietnam’s beer industry is lucrative for brewers because of huge demand in the country.

Javier Gonzalez Lastra, an analyst at Barenberg, said Vietnam is a ‘brewer’s paradise’. It is the fifth-largest beer market in Asia.

Bernstein analyst Trevor Stirling, said: ‘These are some of the most attractive beer assets globally that are not already controlled by major international brewers.’

Sabeco is the largest player in Vietnam, with a market share of about 40pc by volume. Heineken already owns a 5pc stake in the firm.