China: Chongqing Brewery Company to launch newly-built factory in Guangdong province

Chongqing Brewery Company, representing Carlsberg China, will soon launch the trial operation for its newly-built factory in Foshan, Guangdong province, to meet growing market demand in South China, according to the company, the China Daily reported on May 8.

Construction of the Foshan factory, the 27th of its kind of the company, started early in 2022.

As a distillery that has achieved world-class standards in technology, smart manufacturing, and ESG (environmental, social and governance) practices, the Foshan factory will become the flagship distillery of Carlsberg, the company said.

This distillery will also establish Carlsberg's first research and development center outside of Europe, providing services for new product development, packaging design, and testing for the Chinese and Asian markets, according to the company.

The Chongqing-based brewer has become the only platform operating Carlsberg Brewery's business in China, after it completed the major asset restructuring with Carlsberg China in December 2020.

From January to March, the company achieved a beer sales volume of 866,800 kiloliters, marking a year-on-year growth of 5.25 percent, according to its financial report in the first quarter of 2024, which was released in late April.

Also, the company's operating revenue amounted to 4.293 billion yuan ($594.35 million), reflecting a 7.16 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The growth in high-end beer markets during the first quarter was attributed to internal and external factors, including the urban development plan, sales channel expansion, increased consumption during the Spring Festival holiday and the recovery of the tourism market, the company said.

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