San Miguel Brewery takes a shot at recovery over Pinoys’ love for beer

Beer giant San Miguel Brewery (SMB) has mapped out measures to conquer a slew of challenges arising from local lockdown protocols and liquor bans prompted by the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic alongside higher excise taxes this year.

In a report to shareholders in an annual meeting on Thursday, SMB president Roberto Huang said the company was ready to face challenges that have curbed business starting March this year.

“For us, this is a temporary setback and that this, too, shall pass. We believe that this crisis has only made us even stronger together,” Huang said.

This 2020, Huang said SMB’s thrust would be to recover from the impact of COVID-19 by adjusting operations to adopt to the new environment and shift in consumption pattern.

“We will strengthen the resilience of SMB in the alcoholic beverage market while pursuing the presence of our [nonalcoholic beverage business] in profitable areas,” Huang said.

“One way to meet this goal is to further strengthen demand for SMB beer products through product visibility and availability in the right channels and deepen brand love,” he said.

Huang said SMB would focus on sales programs that would improve trade enhancements, strengthen supply chain management and improve organizational effectiveness while implemen­ting cost-containment measures.

For its international operations, Huang said the group would focus on volume reco­very, development of modern trade channels and opening of new markets overseas.

Overall, SMB is aiming for a sustainable recovery from a slow first quarter.

“More than keeping the business in position to recoup after this pandemic, we are committed to see our great nation rise above the challenge of this episode,” Huang said.

The group has allocated massive resources to aid communities and individuals running the front lines of the war against COVID-19, particularly medical professionals, public servants and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Huang noted sharing of access through the group’s logistics network had contributed to greater efficiency in distributing goods to targeted beneficiaries.