Jan Craps, co-chair and CEO of Budweiser Brewing Company APAC, talks about progress Budweiser APAC made in digitalization. Photo: Courtesy of Budweiser

As the Budweiser APAC's outstanding contribution and progress in China, Jan Craps, co-chair and CEO of Budweiser Brewing Company APAC ("Budweiser APAC"), said that the company shows their confidence in Chinese market as China is an important market in its global business. 

With Crap's strong leadership, Budweiser APAC successfully listed in Hong Kong and kicked off a new journey. During the interview, the Belgian executive shed light on Budweiser APAC's investment strategy in China, corporate social responsibility, and future dreams.

Jan Craps said "as we celebrate a solid foothold in China for more than 30 years, I feel deeply proud for what Budweiser has achieved, as well as how the company has contributed to China's socio-economic development. We fully confide in our future development in the Chinese market which is one of the principal markets in Budweiser's global investment map."

Prioritizing three pillars for future investment in China

According to Budweiser APAC's latest results, in the first nine months of 2021, the company posted a sale volume of 71,743,000 hectoliters, representing year-on-year growth of 8.2 percent ; translating to revenue of $ 5.359 billion, representing year-on-year growth of 14.3 percent.

Regarding the robust results, "Budweiser APAC's momentum in revenue growth was mainly driven by our strong performance in the Chinese market. It's attributed to our strategic focus on premiumization, digital transformation, and market expansion in the country. They will also be the three key commercial strategies that Budweiser APAC will prioritize in China in the future." Craps said.

Overview of Budweiser Putian brewery Photo: Courtesy of Budweiser

 

Development of the digital economy and digital transformation has both been clearly proposed in China's epoch-making "14th Five-Year Plan" and "Long-Range Objectives for 2035" as important engines of stable economic growth in the new era. As a subsidiary of the Leuven, Belgium-headquartered AB InBev, Budweiser APAC has launched BEES, a proprietary B2B digital platform. It is built on the company's technology and expertise to enable wholesalers to optimize operation and broaden their customer base. E-commerce fronts represent another priority battleground for us, because its development can effectively allow us to more closely engage consumers and respond to new consumption trends, he said. 

In terms of business expansion, Budweiser APAC is also growing it footprint in Asia Pacific to continuously enrich its portfolio and launch more popular products, such as Corona Seasalt Guava and Hoegaarden Mango. In December 2020, Budweiser opened its first "Green Smart Brewery" in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province; and in July 2021, it announced further investment in its Putian brewery, as well as set up a new craft brewery in the city.

Celebrating sustainability as way of giving back to the community

Committed to promoting Smart Drinking for over 14 years; by donating to 29 Hope Schools in China, Budweiser China continues to fulfil the promise of "One Brewery, One School" to promote the balanced development of Chinese education.

Budweiser's breakthrough on 2025 Sustainability Goals in 2021 Photo: Courtesy of Budweiser

Rooted in China for more than 30 years, Budweiser APAC has benefitted by giving back to the community in addition to its eye-catching business results. Yet, the pursuit of green development and environmental protection also matters to make Budweiser APAC last.

To better practice sustainability, Budweiser APAC released its 2025 Sustainability Goals covering smart agriculture, water stewardship, circular packaging and climate action. So far, the company has made significant progress, such as "AB InBev's first carbon-neutral brewery globally in Wuhan", "3 breweries fully powered by 100% renewable electricity" and"green logistics".

Speaking to Budweiser's future plans, Craps stated that Budweiser APAC's dream is to "become the most loved high-quality growth leader in beverage", with winning the recognition of consumers, customers and stakeholders of paramount importance to the company. In the future, besides a focus on premiumization, digital transformation, and market expansion, the company also hopes to not only boost the high-quality development of the beer category, but also the whole beverage industry. And I believe that the next investment is also in the China, China is the next China, he added.

It is a part of exclusive interview with Ask, a column affiliated with the People's Daily New Media on December 16, 2021.