Vietnam's beer brewers get creative as economy loses fizz

Drinkers shift to cheaper lagers as spending woes cloud Asia's No. 3 market

Vietnam is such a big beer market that swings in demand there can drive the quarterly results of international brewers like Heineken. The country also nurtured homegrown players in recent years. (Photo by Lien Hoang)

LIEN HOANG, Nikkei staff writer

October 20, 2023 14:17 JST

HO CHI MINH CITY -- The unique beers at Vietnamese craft brewer C-Brewmaster -- where flavors run the gamut from mulberry to coffee and even pho noodles -- used to draw crowds of thirsty customers.

But CEO Trang Le says her team has spent less time pouring tipples this year, with drinkers watching their wallets amid a sharp fall in global demand for goods that has sapped Vietnam's export-focused economy. The communist country ranks No. 3 in Asia for both reliance on trade and consumption of beer.