The Danish brewer, Carlsberg is reportedly planning further expansion in Asia to reduce its exposure to the volatility in the Russian beer market.
“We see Asia as being a place to expand and invest in,” Jorgen Buhl Rasmussen, president and CEO, Carlsberg Group, was quoted in international media reports as saying.
“Carlsberg, the world’s fourth-largest brewer, is prepared to make an acquisition in Asia if the target was ‘a fantastic fit’ and sees ‘big opportunities’ in India, China and Vietnam,” Rasmussen further said.
While Carlsberg already has five operational units in India, it believes that a stronger business in Asia, which accounts for only 10 per cent of Carlsberg’s sales volumes and 17 per cent of operating profit, would balance the firm’s exposure to the volatility in Russia, which contributes about half of group profits.
— IndiaRetailing Bureau