Samui’s beer market gets more competitive

Visitors to Ko Samui are often fond of a tipple, and in the last year, a new brand has emerged in Thailand to compete with the traditional Thai offerings of Chang and Leo in the budget beer market. Cheers Beer is brewed by the same group that handles Southeast Asia’s Heineken supply, the Thai Asia Brewery Co.

42.7 percent of the budget beer market is ruled by Leo, a cheaper beer brewed by the Singha company. On Ko Samui and other popular tourist spots in Thailand, Cheers has seen a 40 percent sales growth since it revamped its formula, giving the beer better taste and quality.

Samui retailers are being given incentives to advertise Cheers beer instead of more typical flare from Leo, Chang, Singha or even Heineken. The company has also released a tall can version, in hopes of capitalizing on the budget conscious drinkers who would sooner drink at home than go out to a beach bar. For tourists though, cans still account for 90 percent of sales in bars.