Kirin eyes opportunities in Myanmar

Tokyo -- Japanese brewer Kirin Holdings is thinking about entering the beer market in Myanmar, initially to sell its main Ichiban Shibori brand.

With Myanmar's economy growing in leaps and bounds, beer consumption is expected to expand and Kirin Holdings is eyeing the opportunity, sources say.

Myanmar has a population of about 62 million, about the same as Thailand, and its gross domestic product per capita is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 6 to 7 per cent in the coming years from about US$800 (Bt24,354) in 2011. In Vietnam, which kicked off its economic reforms before Myanmar, consumption of beer is growing by 13 per cent per annum on average.

The Yomiuri Shimbun/Asia News Network