Thailand: Heineken and Bavaria actively promoting non-alcoholic beer

Two Dutch beer brands - Heineken and Bavaria - are actively promoting non-alcoholic malt beverages to secure growth amid the declining beer market in Thailand as consumers become more health-conscious, the Bangkok Post reported on March 7.

On March 6, both brands announced business plans to promote non-alcoholic malt beverages in Thailand's 180-billion-baht beer market, offering health-conscious consumers an option as they try to moderate their alcohol intake.

Maud Meijboom-van Wel, brand development and communication director for Heineken, said the company is launching "Heineken 0.0" in the Thai market in mid-March as it addresses the growing cultural trend of living a balanced lifestyle.

Non-alcoholic malt beverage is a category Thais may not be familiar with, given the market for malt drinks is very niche in Asia. However, the company has seen an upward trend in consumption of low-alcohol drinks, said Ms van Wel.

Heineken 0.0 was introduced in 2017 in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany, followed by the UK and France. The drink is available in 38 markets around the world, including Europe, North America, and Australia. Last year it was launched in Singapore, the first country the drink was sold in Asia.

"Heineken 0.0 was developed to meet the changing needs of consumers and respond to growing consumer trends in moderate alcohol consumption. We have seen strong growth in the non-alcoholic malt drink segment in Europe and Russia, which grew about 5% annually in 2010-15," she said.

Ms van Wel said the new non-alcoholic malt beverage is made with natural ingredients and no sugar. The product targets consumers over 20 years old who enjoy the taste of beer, but not necessarily the effects of alcohol at certain moments in the day, including professionals, active parents, and health-conscious people.

Achava Mahamongkol, managing director of Captain Barrel, the distributor of Bavaria, said Thailand's beer industry has been hit by poor consumption levels.

The company found an opportunity in growing the premium beer segment, which is 6% of the 180-billion-baht beer industry.

Bavaria introduced its product to the Thai market seven years ago and plans to actively promote it this year after non-alcoholic beer has become more popular.

07 March, 2019