Huda: Over 20 Years of Sustainable Development

Established in 1990 under the name of the Hue Brewery, its initial capacity was only 3 million litre a year, which was just enough to meet beverage needs of the people of Hue city at that time. During mid-90s, local beer companies felt into difficult conditions due to outdated equipment, low production capacity and lack of high-quality products. To find a way out, most companies turned to focus on beer production, or merged with large-scale and well-known beer companies to process their products.

Not following the ways of other beer companies, Hue Brewery management contemplated days and nights and resolved to maintain their traditional brand and to develop strongly without depending on other enterprises. In 1994, Hue Brewery went into a joint-venture with the Carlsberg Corporation (Denmark), a well-known beer brand with a long tradition in the world. Since then, Hue Brewery Co. Ltd. was officially established.

 

Hue Brewery’s current success is mainly contributed to vital factors such as a dare to think and to do, the courage to invest heavily in equipments and infrastructures, improvement of production capacity.

 

In September 2006, the first phase construction of Phu Bai brewery was commenced. Thanks to advices and assistances of enthusiastic professionals of Carlsberg Corporation, as well as courage and confidence of dedicated technical staff, Hue Brewery found not only feasible but also highly efficient solutions, minimising costs.

Mr Nguyen Mau Chi – General Director of Hue Brewery recalled: “Back then, as for important stages in the production line, having direct influences on product quality, we are determined to import them from well-known beer companies in the world. As for extra parts, we imported them from China or produced them ourselves. Whether imported or produced domestically, those products must have high quality, clear origins and are directly from producers, not from commercial companies or intermediaries, to ensure cheapest prices”.

 

Not only that, the company also realised a pretty venturesome idea, that is it divided a project into smaller packages instead of carrying out projects thoroughly as they said “directly giving keys to hands” as before. Thanks to proper and reasonable measures, just for a short time, the first phase of Phu Bai brewery with production capacity of 80 million liters a year was finished and operated stably, producing high-quality products. With total investment of VND415 billion, the investment rate was US$31.15 for 100 liters. It is considered a beer production line with lowest investment in Vietnam currently.

 

However after a very short time, once again the supply no longer met the demand. Standing before a huge demand for Huda’s beer, the company had to invest into construction to expand its production. After 12 months of design, construction, installation and running test, in April 2010, the second phase project of Phu Bai brewery was completed and successfully tested, raising total production capacity of the company to 230 million liters a year, meeting the needs of domestic beer consumption and boosting export to foreign markets.

 

Assessing the second phase of Phu Bai brewery, industry experts said that this is a project of most advanced equipments in the world and also a system friendly with the environment with yards, gardens and green trees.

 

Anyone who has ever set foot on the central ridge very clearly felt the influences of Hue Brewery’s productions on cuisine culture of people there, beholding them enjoy Hue beer deeply and passionately. The products of Huda are currently available and dominating most of central markets stretching from Nghe An to Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, around the Central Highlands provinces, gradually intrude and develop in the largest and most competitive market in the country - Ho Chi Minh city…

 

From a company with only one product of Huda beer bottle, Huda has developed more new and high-quality products such as Huda beer can, Festival beer, Hue beer, Huda Extra… Huda’s products have not only conquered domestic markets but also stretched out to world markets such as: USA, Canada, Britain, France, Spain, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia… Averaged growth rates of Huda always reach to an impressive numbers of 25 percent - 26 percent, double those of Vietnam beer industry (specially, averaged growth rate in 2009 was 30 percent than that in 2008).

 

Currently, in addition to highly valued system of welfare - recommendations and rewards - training staff, Hue Brewery’s workers averagely receive the highest income in the province: in 2010 averaged income was VND 7 million, which is expected to get higher in 2011 thanks to effective performance despite difficult context of the economy.

As for state budget contribution, in 2010, Huda contributed VND 739 billion, which stood for one third of total budget revenues of Thua Thien - Hue province. The contribution is expected to increase in 2011, reaching about VND 845 billion, 14 percent higher than that of 2010. This is the highest growth rate of budget contribution for the last 3 years.

 

Introducing us production facilities, General Director Nguyen Mau Chi confided that, people of the Central and Central Highlands enjoy Hue beer much not only because of its delicious taste or reasonable prices but also because of love. It is not a exaggerated statement, because throughout the years, Hue beer has always followed closely the breath of life in the Central and Central Highlands, sharing the happiness, sorrows with people of the land year - round full of sunshine and wind.

 

For many recent years, Hue Brewery Company has always led in movements paying debts of gratitude or charity programmes such as: Building house of gratitude for families whose members sacrificed their lives or got wounded in wars, for Vietnam Hero Mothers, poor people; supporting scholarships “The Hopes” for poor pupils who are striving to learn well; supporting poor patients of eye surgery, heart surgery, congenital defects… In addition, annually Huda is always the most active company involved in overcoming damages caused by natural disasters and floods.

 

Not only participating in charity programmes, Huda has also sponsored many cultural and sport events of local, national or international stature such as: Hue Festival, Music and Dance Festival of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, programmes of Southeast Asian Youth vessel…

 

With efforts of contributions, the company has been granted many noble honors such as: First - class, second - class, third - class labour medal rewarded by the President; merit lists, emulation flags awarded by the Prime Minister for “Completing excellently commissions; leading in patriotic emulation movements; continuously complying with tax policies”; “Vietnam Gold Star Award”; “Vietnam high quality goods”…