Apb profile

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WINNING THE WORLD OVERTHE STORY OF ASIA PACIFIC BREWERIES

In 1930, HeIneken and Fraser and neave joIned Forces and establIsHed a joInt venture to buIld a brewery In sIngapore.

In 1931, a tIger was born. tIger beer became tHe FIrst beer tHat was asIan In orIgIn yet possessed all tHe qualItIes oF a top-notcH western brewed beer.

World Acclaim

ed

World Acclaim

edSInCE 1931, OuR PATH HAS BEEn OnE OF AdvEnTuRE, EnTREPREnEuRIAl dRIvE And THE RElEnTlESS dESIRE TO BE A lEAdInG BREWER In THE ASIA PACIFIC REGIOn.

Some would say we are a lucky

company, being in the right place at

the right time, with the right people

and products. However, we believe

we have made our own luck.

We invest in people that share this

same spirit of adventure and

have this passion for success.

We believe in the power of our

brands, we are entrepreneurial in our

marketing and we stay close to our

consumers. We don’t sell products,

we sell a lifestyle.

MEMORABlE MOMEnTS

Opening night at the brewery

“Over 200 guests attended and they

were given as much beer as they

desired, and an eloquent tribute to the

new beverage lay in the fact that many

who were not regular drinkers asked

for a second, while others had a third.”

Straits times, Singapore 1932

the LaUnCh OF tiger CUb

During World War Two, there was

a severe shortage of raw materials,

including glass, malted barley, hops

and yeast. For the business to survive,

the Tiger team had the ingenuity to

launch a lighter beer called Tiger Cub.

It wasn’t as strong as the original brew

but having some beer was better than

having no beer at all. Tiger Cub was

retired in 1947.

03WInnInG THE WORld OvER – A TIGER IS BORN

MEMORABlE MOMEnTS

OUr FirSt internatiOnaL adventUre

In 1958, we had our first offshore

expansion and purchased the South

Pacific Brewery in Papua New Guinea.

Since then, SP Lager, Papua New

Guinea’s first premium beer brand,

has gained unprecedented popularity

amongst the local population.

a brewery FOr a dOLLar

In 1978, South Pacific Brewery was

losing money because of a heavy

discount war with San Miguel.

Desmond Neill was tasked with

selling South Pacific Brewery for $1.

When he reached Port Moresby,

he realised the competition was faring

far worse, saw the long term potential

in Papua New Guinea and negotiated

to buy San Miguel for $1 instead.

Today, South Pacific Brewery is APB’s

second most profitable operating

company. Now that’s the Tiger spirit!

an expLOSive mOment

In 1994, a volcanic eruption destroyed

the airport in Rabaul and covered most

of the town with heavy ashfall. With

only nineteen hours of warning before

the eruption, we chartered a jet and

evacuated many of the locals away from

the danger zone.

WE ARE PROud OF OuR AdvEnTuROuS SPIRIT. WE HAvE SEIzEd OPPORTunITIES And vEnTuREd WHERE OTHERS HAvE nOT.

We are a growth-focused company

that dares to do things differently.

In the early 90’s, we recognised the

limitations of the small markets we

were operating in. We had to expand

our horizons. With a sense of courage

and conviction, we set off to build

relationships, breweries and markets

around the region.

We are calculated risk takers with

a relentless energy. We built five green

field brewery operations in five different

countries all within a year and a half.

We all appreciate the teams that went

out to the regions and put in the

hard work in sometimes difficult

circumstances that helped us to build

the dynamic regional footprint we

have today. We have a history of

people that have built their careers

by building the company.

Today we see the benefits of our

leadership position in these emerging

markets. Our strategy has served

us well and we retain this pioneering

spirit in everything we do.

aN aspIRaTIONaL spIRIT

04 WInnInG THE WORld OvER – THE STORY OF ASIA PACIFIC BREWERIES

05 An ASPIRATIOnAl SPIRIT

WInnInG THE WORld OvER – THE STORY OF ASIA PACIFIC BREWERIES0606

07

MEMORABlE MOMEnTS

Setting an internatiOnaL

preCedent

In 1993, we were the first western

company to sign a joint venture

agreement with the Vietnamese

government. That agreement became

the template for other joint ventures

negotiated in Vietnam ever since.

At that time, Tiger was considered

to be the drink of capitalism.

WE PRIdE OuRSElvES In OuR ABIlITY TO FORGE POSITIvE, MuTuAllY BEnEFICIAl RElATIOnSHIPS WITH OuR PARTnERS.

We build relationships with our

customers, our distributors, our

suppliers and ultimately our consumers.

We invest a great deal of time and

energy in these relationships. We are

tenacious in making sure they work

and we always take a long term view.

We love to meet people and we are

always hospitable and responsible

hosts. As leaders in the markets in

which we operate, we always give

more than is expected of us.

We have established joint ventures

with many other companies across the

region. We are always appreciative of

the unique strengths our partners bring

to the table. We grow together and

create value in the process.

BUILDING paRTNERsHIps

07BuIldInG PARTnERSHIPS

celebratIng

dIversIty

THE dIvERSITY OF OuR PEOPlE IS OuR GREATEST ASSET.

We have the widest regional footprint

of any international brewer. We are part

of a global framework of breweries,

yet we are local in our content.

Our footprint enables us to prosper

across our markets in both good

times and bad.

We are a unique Singaporean company

that has moved very quickly to become

an Asian multinational. We are not

traditional. We are prepared to

push beyond the borders more than

most companies. In fact, we are really

a multi-local business.

In the early 90’s, we had five breweries

in three countries. Twenty years later,

we have grown to more than thirty

breweries in fourteen countries.

many cultures all enjoy drInkIng our beer

In the process, we have been able

to provide our people with the

opportunities to learn and develop

their skills within these markets and

demonstrate their adaptability and

business acumen.

Today the diversity of our management

teams across the Group is a key

strength of our business and we

encourage the free flow of talent

across all our operating companies.

This is an important part of our growth.

We celebrate the fact that so many

different cultures enjoy drinking

our beer.

MEMORABlE MOMEnTS

a United natiOnS OF beer

Many of our staff have worked in

different countries. We have Russians

working in Papua New Guinea,

Vietnamese working in Singapore,

New Zealanders working in Thailand

and Uzbekistanis working in Mongolia.

Our leaders, like the bubbles in our

beer, rise from within.

a diverSe LeaderShip

In the past our key leaders were mainly

sourced from APB Singapore or were

Heineken expatriates. Today we have

a wide variety of leaders sharing

different backgrounds, essential for

any successful company in a fast and

competitive industry.


09CElEBRATInG dIvERSITY

TIGER IS OuR FlAGSHIP BRAnd. FOR MORE THAn 80 YEARS, TIGER’S STROnG BRAnd EquITY, RIGOROuS AdHEREnCE TO quAlITY And InnOvATIvE MARkETInG InITIATIvES HAvE FuEllEd ITS POPulARITY In THE EAST And WEST.

Tiger is brewed in more countries in Asia than any other Asian beer and exported to over seventy countries worldwide. With over forty international gold medals for quality and taste, Tiger positions itself as the reward for winners.

Tiger is the second most recognisable Singaporean brand in the world.


BORN IN THE EasTWith worldwide acclaim and a host

of international medals, Tiger has

travelled the world and come back

to Asia with renewed respect at home.

LOVED IN THE WEsT After Tiger’s initial success in the United

Kingdom, Heineken UK suggested

to APB that they manage the brand

locally. It’s subsequent success was

never a foregone conclusion, but rather

the result of ten years’ hard work from

an intrepid team who visited pubs

and bars up and down the country,

including London, Birmingham,

Edinburgh, Manchester and Dublin.

They persuaded barmen across the

UK to recommend Tiger, the cool

taste of Asia, to their friends and their

customers. Ten years of persistence to

create an overnight success, with Tiger

available in 6,000 establishments!

TIGER TRaNsLaTE Tiger Translate is a showcase of the

best emerging creativity in the Asia

Pacific region with work that challenges,

entertains, engages and inspires.

We uncover young Asian talent in

music, art and design and give them a

chance to perform on the world stage.

By keeping Tiger Beer top of mind,

our imaginative Tiger artists translate

themes into visual masterpieces.

TIGER sTREET FOOTBaLLTiger Street Football is an international

tournament that brings together the

best and brightest street football

players from around the world. It takes

place in five countries across Asia and

is shown on live television. Teams play

on a caged football pitch in a carnival

atmosphere and battle it out to

progress to the final game to be

crowned ‘Kings of the Street’.

11TIME FOR A TIGER

AvAIlABlE In OvER 170 COunTRIES On THE PlAnET, HEInEkEn POSSESSES THE WIdEST PRESEnCE OF AnY InTERnATIOnAl BEER BRAnd.

Heineken is commited to surprising and

delighting consumers everywhere.

Its quality and reputation have proven

to be an ideal growth driver and the

brand resonates around the globe

with its internationalism, quality and

refreshing taste.

Distinctive in its green bottle,

its exclusive image builds rapport

with sophisticated consumers

everywhere who appreciate the

Heineken experience and its close

association with premier sporting

and music events.

vietnam – a Five Star perFOrmer

APB has managed the Heineken brand

in Vietnam from the late 1980’s.

In those days beer marketing was

easy – put some western ads on TV

and have Europeans drink Heineken in

restaurants and coffee shops. From this

humble brand plan, Vietnam is now a

top five worldwide Heineken market.

Today the marketing plans are a little

more sophisticated.

MEMORABlE MOMEnTS

the heineKen experienCe

The consistent Heineken experience

is reinforced in every market. Only

the best quality raw materials brewed

lovingly and long and released only

when perfect. Served in a chilled glass

with the beer to the top of the star,

foam skimmed, served on a Heineken

coaster and enjoyed by all.

tHe

eXperIence


13THE HEInEkEn EXPERIEnCE

WE OPERATE A BRAnd-lEd BuSInESS MOdEl. WE ARE ABOuT Fun And ABOuT lIFESTYlE.

We have a strong portfolio of over forty

brands that we manage and build.

With this diversity of brands, we have

flexibility in the marketplace, giving us

a strong competitive advantage.

We control our own destiny by shaping

these brands. Collectively, they form

a combination of global, regional

and local brews that cater to every

preference and drinking occasion in

their respective markets.

We constantly challenge ourselves

to ensure our brands are keeping pace

with our consumers. Brand diversity is

the key to meeting consumers’ varied

and increasingly sophisticated needs.

We constantly excite the markets, cater

to new demands and seek innovation in

developing new products and variants.

WE aRE BRaND BUILDERs


premIum lager beerWorld Acclaimed

DRAUGHT

Smooth

EXTRA STOUT

PALE ALE

Enjoy Drinking

BREWPINT

PREMIUM QUALITY

FInest IngredIents

GREEN BREWING

Cold One

brewerIes In sIngapore • vIetnam IndonesIa • cambodIa • malaysIa srI lanka • mongolIa • new Zealand new caledonIa • papua new guInea laos • srI lanka • solomon Islands

tHaIland • cHIna

1932MEMORABlE MOMEnTS

indOneSia’S iCOniC beer

BINTANG is Indonesia’s favourite beer.

Production of Bintang began at its

Surabaya brewery in 1931 and since

then Bintang has achieved success

and leadership with their quality

brews. It has won many awards and

recently picked up a Gold Medal at the

2011 Brewing Industry International

Awards. Widely available throughout

the Indonesian archipelago, Bintang

establishes bonds amongst Indonesians

and celebrates togetherness.

a drinKing war

ABC is by far the largest premium

brand and only stout in Cambodia.

It was built can by can by our intrepid

export team by visiting both the

Government army and the Khmer

Rouge in the 80’s and 90’s. ABC was

seen as an essential brew to enable

the two factions to meet on occasion.

And while we can’t claim to have

assisted in reconciling both sides, ABC

was certainly part of the celebrations.

CraFted tO perFeCtiOn

Archipelago offers world beer

experiences beyond the ordinary

for beer enthusiasts. We begin with

an idea often themed to an occasion

or a brewing style rich in heritage. The

Archipelago team then brings together

skill, innovation, collaboration, passion

and fun to create a boutique range of

handcrafted world beers.

15WE ARE BRAnd BuIldERS

OUR BEERs GO THROUGHOVER 250 QUaLITy cONTROLcHEcks


MEMORABlE MOMEnTS

a wOrLd FirSt in new ZeaLand

Morton Coutts was the founder of

the DB Brewery in New Zealand.

In the 1930’s, he investigated the

nature of yeast, the most important

ingredient in any brewing process.

Coutts speculated that yeast could

be properly controlled and this led him

to create the wort stabilisation process.

He then separated the fermentation

into stages. In the first stage the

yeast grew and in the second the

fermentation began. The yeast was

thus encouraged to either grow or

produce alcohol. As a result, Coutts

created a continuous flow between

the two fermentation processes.

DB became the only company

in the world to master continuous

fermentation, incredibly economic

in the brewing process as it uses less

raw materials, water and electricity.

The end result? DB challenged the

way the world brews beer and sold

this technology internationally.

bOttLe retUrnS in SOUth China

The success of our Anchor brand on

Hainan Island ensured a successful

expansion of the brand into

Guangdong province. However, we

were selling Anchor in returnable

quart bottles and needless to say

those bottles were not returning from

Guangdong. Realising the potential

of the brand in South China, we set

up a returnable bottle system to get

the bottles back to Hainan. After an

interesting week, we had signed up

a number of bottle collectors and

within a month the empty bottles

were arriving back in Hainan. In most

countries, it would take six to twelve

months to set up a system like that!

OuR COMMITMEnT TO quAlITY IS SECOnd TO nOnE.

Our beers are brewed under the

supervision of our own international

technical experts, who can call upon

more than a century’s experience

of European brewing excellence.

We use only the finest ingredients and

maintain the most stringent brewing

standards. We have over 250 quality

control checks that cover every stage

of the brewing process.

Over the years, we have won many

prestigious quality awards both locally

and internationally. In yet another

recognition of our commitment to

brewing excellence, we were recently

named the world’s Champion Brewery

in the Large Brewing Company

Category in the prestigious Brewers’

Association World Beer Cup.

TEcHNIcaL EXcELLENcE

17TECHnICAl EXCEllEnCE

• WE ARE RESulTS ORIEnTEd•WE TAkE PRIdE In WHAT WE dO•WE ARE COMMITTEd TO BEInG THE BEST

We are committed to being the best.

Our hard work and determination to

succeed has resulted in a financially

strong company with the kind

of dynamic growth that captures

the imagination.

We have clear market leadership

positions and we take pride in being

the best. We are motivated to

succeed and we drive ourselves

to constantly improve.

We have a great reputation for being

a professional well-run operation and

we are proud of our achievements.

“It’s a very fast dynamic successful company. It’s got a good clear sense of direction and being able to contribute to that success and even at times help shape that direction of success is hugely rewarding.”Russell Browne, Marketing – DB Export & Emerging Brands, New Zealand

“Since the day I joined APB I realised how dynamic the place is. It’s filled with passionate people. Working here I have challenges everyday, everything is different, and people just draw their energy from the passion that is APB.” Aaron Lim, Corporate Communications, Singapore“What excites me is that

it’s a very competitive environment. It keeps you keen, it keeps you on your toes and it also makes sure that every day and every week is different. There’s always some challenge that you’ve got, and I think that overcoming those challenges gives you a great deal of satisfaction.”Andrew Lamont, Commercial Director, Thailand

“I enjoy working here because it is a very well organised company. We have a very professional management team, they are working close to the people, they treat people like a family.”Mr Tai, Sales Manager, Vietnam

Focus

entrepreneursHIp

competItIon


• WE ARE lIkE A FAMIlY•WE FInd AlIGnMEnT•WE dOn’T AllOW

OTHERS TO FAIl

We have a strong sense of culture

and camaraderie. We roll up our

sleeves, look after each other and

never let our colleagues fail. We

work hard and we play hard together.

We have great people, a great

environment in which to work and

a great place to grow and belong.

“I love this company because we enjoy working together with open communication and truthful attitudes. I strongly believe we will progress well because our team works very hard with a good responsible spirit.”Nguyen Thi Doi, Training Manager, Vietnam

“The company is really focused. We set goals for ourselves within the company and we work hard together as a team to achieve these goals.”Patronila Paisi, Group TPM & Quality Assurance Coordinator, Papua New Guinea

“We encourage people to develop their problem solving skills, communication and collaboration skills. You develop your ability to build relations with your customers, your partners and your colleagues.”Durbek Sattarov, Commercial Director, Mongolia

“I enjoy working here because we’re just like family. Most people have work experience of more than ten years and therefore have a lot of experience to share. They are always happy to help you whenever you have a question. It really feels great.”Su Zhizhuang, Packaging Control, Singapore

FAMILY

GOAL SETTING

COLLABORATE

SPIRIT

19OuR vAluES

• WE vAluE dIvERSITY•WE lIkE HAvInG Fun•WE STAY COnnECTEd

We work together to achieve our goals.

We are like the United Nations of

brewing. Our diversity requires us

to be open-minded and to value each

other’s opinions.

We have many important partnerships

that we nurture, both inside and

outside of our company. We take into

consideration the work life and home

life of our people.

We enjoy getting involved outside

of work and take the time to give back

to our communities.

“I also work very closely with the sales and the brewing team where we are highly encouraged to communicate openly and also respect each other which is very important because then we can resolve any issues almost immediately.”Susan Leong, Marketing – Archipelago, Singapore

“I graduated last year and I really like the open culture here. The management here is always interested in what I have to say, my ideas my opinions and suggestions about how we can work together to improve the company.”Cassey Maninaka, Communications Officer, Papua New Guinea

OPENNESSRespect &

COMMUNICATION

“We’re a really great team. We work hard and play hard. It’s a really good work life balance as well, which is really important to me.”Jen McIndoe, Marketing – Monteiths, New Zealand

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

OPEN CULTURE

“I really enjoy working together with so many people from different countries.”Josie Wong, Marketing Manager, China

DIVERSITY


• WE lIkE TO lEARn•MAkE THE BEST OF THE PRESEnT•WE BuIld OuR FuTuRE

We enjoy that our work is challenging.

We are an adventurous company and

we encourage our people to take on

new challenges and responsibilities

so that they can learn and grow.

We encourage our people to go

beyond their comfort zones and take

on projects earlier in their careers than

they would with other companies.

Our people are exposed to all aspects

of our business and they become

well-rounded individuals in the process.

“What I enjoy most about working in this company is probably the work environment is very challenging. It keeps me on my toes most of the time and pushes me to learn as much as possible and I can see it’s a very good baseline for my growth.”Risa Kopi, Brewing, Papua New Guinea

“I’ve had a variety of roles really. I’ve been quite fortunate. I’ve worked in the laboratory, that’s where I started in quality, and then I moved into brewing as a trainee brewer, so I learnt the ropes there and then moved into packaging.”Natasha O’Brien, Supply Chain Packaging Manager, New Zealand

“The company has a very dynamic and challenging working environment. There are many career development opportunities. I think a successful company is a company focusing on people development.”Dao Cong Phuoc, Packaging Manager, Vietnam

“It is basically a great training ground. We are encouraged to try different things through trial and error. In this way both the organisation and the individual can grow and develop organically.”Dennis Yeo, Accountant, Singapore

21OuR vAluES

Asia Pacific Breweries is committed to

giving back to the society. We believe

in improving the lives of communities

in which we operate. The set up of the

APB Foundation in 1994 anchors this

long-term focus.

The Foundation gives back via three

tenets – the arts, education and caring

for the needy. Flagship projects under

these tenets are designed to plug gaps,

achieve long-term impact and benefits

for our communities. The Signature

Art Prize is the first of its kind in the

regional arts scene that recognises

excellence in contemporary visual arts

in 24 Asia Pacific countries. The APB

Foundation Scholarship which caters

to tertiary students with disabilities is

unique in Singapore. We have since

had 19 scholars from various fields and

the graduates are gainfully contributing

back to society.

The spirit of giving, however, is not

limited to the Foundation but has also

extended to our operating companies

and staff. Our staff has helped raised

funds for charities and volunteered

in community activities, including the

Foundation’s flagship grocery delivery

programme which is benefitting more

than 200 needy families and 150 elderly

in Singapore.

To ensure that we continuously meet

society’s needs, we evaluate our

programmes half yearly and we look

out for opportunities to give back to

the society via the Foundation’s three

tenets and partnering like-minded

stakeholders in regional CSR projects

focusing on water and education.

For more information on the APB

Foundation, visit our website at

www.apb.com.sg/apb-foundation

MEMORABlE MOMEnTS

Operating COmpanieS

Our breweries also play a vital role

in giving back to the communities

in which they operate. Being socially

responsible, each of them gives

support to various social, educational

and environmental causes in their

respective countries. We encourage

the responsible consumption of

alcohol, undertake sustainable

reporting and reduce water and energy.


23A COMMunITY FOCuS

THE nEXT CHAPTER

Asia Pacific is the place to be. Dynamic

growth in the region has seen dynamic

growth for us as a company.

With this growth, we now have the

largest footprint in Asia Pacific and the

most iconic portfolio of brands.

The year 2012 marks a new chapter in

our illustrious history. After 81 years, we

are moving from a joint venture between

Heineken and Fraser and Neave, to

becoming a Heineken owned company.

As part of the Heineken global family

there will be many exciting opportunities

and our pioneering spirit, passion and

determination will enable us to take on

the challenges of this changing world,

just as it has in the past.

OURDYNAMIC


25OuR dYnAMIC FuTuRE

WWW.APB.COM.SG

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