Who owns MYANMAR BEER?

MYANMAR BEER is owned by

MYANMA ECONOMIC HOLDINGS

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Myanmar Beer was first created in 1997 by Myanmar Brewery Ltd, based out of Yangon, Myanmar. The company had been founded two years prior as a joint venture between the Burmese military and Asia Pacific Breweries, which itself was a joint venture between Fraser and Neave and Heineken. However, that year the Burmese military faced condemnation for its human rights abuses, and Heineken transfered its ownership of the venture to Fraser and Neave entirely. Their 55% stake was purchased by Kirin in 2015.

However, after a 2019 United Nations report tying the Myanmar military to Myanmar Brewery, Kirin began to face criticism for its role in the partnership. In 2021, the military initiated a coup which saw them oust elected members of the government including leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, Kirin sought to end its partnership in the enterprise. Initially, Kirin claimed they wanted to remain in the Myanmar market while dissolving the partnership, but after negotiations with the Myanma Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (the wing of the military that oversees the venture), they determined that wouldn’t be possible.

More than a year later, it sold its interest in the enterprise back to Myanmar Brewery for 22.4 billion yen (about $164 million). The move avoids giving money directly to MEHL, which would present issues as the United States and other western countries have instituted sanctions on the organization. However, the net effect is the same in consolidating their control of the business. Civil rights groups, who initially pushed for Kirin to exit the company, criticized what they called a hasty retreat from the venture, calling it a “windfall for the Myanmar military.” Kirin said it would profit about $140 million from the sale.

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