Sapporo to invest $643 million in Carlsberg Southeast Asia venture for 25% stake

TOKYO, July 6 (Reuters) - Sapporo Breweries said on Monday it will form a strategic partnership with Danish brewer Carlsberg, investing about $643 million for a 25% stake in a joint venture covering Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

The venture, to be based in Singapore and expected to be established in December 2026, will be owned 75% by Carlsberg.

Here are some details:

・Sapporo said the alliance will expand an existing partnership in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore to include Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

・The Japanese brewer aims to increase sales of Sapporo Premium Beer in the target markets to around 10 times 2025 levels by 2035, leveraging Carlsberg's strong market presence across the region.

・Under the agreement, Sapporo will grant the joint venture a long-term licence for Sapporo Premium Beer and expects to benefit from diversified revenue streams including dividends, royalty income and manufacturing-related earnings.

(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim, Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)