Carlsberg Malaysia’s Big Beer Run: Record Profits And Green Dreams

The 56-year-old brewery isn’t just brewing success in bottles – it’s pouring RM 1.0 billion into government coffers through excise duties, while maintaining a strong commitment to local development with 75% of procurement spent on Malaysian vendors.

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In a world where everything seems to be getting more expensive, Carlsberg Malaysia is having its moment in the sun.

The beer giant just wrapped up its best year ever, pouring out record profits while keeping shareholders and planet Earth happy.

The numbers tell a story of success that would make any business pop a cork – they’re raking in RM 2,376 million in revenue, with profits hitting a frothy RM 416 million. And get this – they’re pumping serious money back into the Malaysian economy, with RM 1.0 billion paid in excise duties alone.

But here’s where it gets interesting: they’re not just counting cash, they’re counting trees (well, sort of).

While they’re paying RM 89.8 million in corporate taxes and another RM 112.4 million in indirect taxes, they’re also keeping it local—a whopping 75% of their procurement spend goes to Malaysian vendors, up 8.7% from last year. Talk about supporting the neighbourhood!

For a 56-year-old company that started as a foreign investment in Malaysia, they’ve become quite the local hero.

When your friendly neighbourhood supplier gets more business because Carlsberg is doing well, economists call it a win-win situation. But in regular folks’ terms, it’s just good business sense with a side of community spirit.

Carlsberg Malaysia’s Managing Director Stefano Clini breaks down the company’s impressive financial recovery during the 2025 Annual General Meeting, pointing to charts that show revenue and profits have bounced back beyond pre-Covid levels. The numbers tell a story of resilience – from the challenging days of 2020 to record-breaking performance in 2024. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

From Hops to High-Tech: Inside Carlsberg’s Brewery of the Future

The company’s recently unveiled RM200 million brewery makeover is about more than just making more beer—it’s about making beer better.

Think of it as giving their old brewery a Tesla-style upgrade.

They’ve slashed their water usage by up to 38% in some areas, which is no small feat when you’re in the business of brewing.

“It’s like teaching an old dog new tricks,” might be one way to put it, as the company rolls out fancy AI-powered systems to keep track of their bottles on store shelves and a new planning tool that makes their supply chain run smoother than a freshly pulled draft.

Keeping the Taps Open: Green Grades and Growth in Challenging Times

Looking ahead to 2025, they’re not wearing rose-colored glasses.

They know there are storm clouds on the horizon – inflation isn’t going away, interest rates are still high, and there’s that pesky shorter Chinese New Year selling window to worry about.

But they’re not letting that stop the party.

The company has also received praise from environmental watchdogs, maintaining its AA rating in the MSCI ESG rankings—think of it as getting straight A’s on your environmental report card.

Carlsberg Malaysia is also part of the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index, reflecting its strong commitment to Environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices.

A moment of shared success at Carlsberg Malaysia’s 2025 AGM: Chief Financial Officer Vivian Gun (left) and Managing Director Stefano Clini (centre) review the company’s performance reports with Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director Pearl Lai (right). The team’s collaborative leadership has helped steer the company through transformative times, balancing financial growth with sustainability goals. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Bottom Line and Bottom’s Up: Carlsberg’s Triple Crown

For the folks keeping score at home, shareholders aren’t complaining either.

With a dividend yield of 4.6% and a generous payout ratio, Carlsberg Malaysia seems to be keeping everyone’s glasses full.

But perhaps the most impressive feat is that their Singapore operation hasn’t had an accident in 1,533 days—that’s more than four years of keeping the suds flowing without a hitch.

Beyond the numbers, Carlsberg has deep roots in Malaysia’s Chinese community: it has long supported Chinese education.

Over the years, the company has poured millions into Chinese schools, funding everything from building improvements to educational programs, making it more than just another corporate name in the community.

As they head into 2025, Carlsberg Malaysia seems to be proving that you can have your beer and drink it, making money while making the planet greener.

Now that’s something worth raising a glass to.

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