Phnom penh: Cambrew's newly appointed Managing Director, Mr. Michiel Oerlemans, has met with Minister Hem Vanndy to discuss potential collaboration, while voicing concerns over the intense market competition driven by heavy promotional campaigns that have impacted the beverage sector's overall performance.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Mr. Oerlemans, who brings decades of experience in the beverage industry, including senior roles within the Carlsberg Group in Myanmar and Laos, introduced himself to the Minister. His appointment aims to lead Cambrew's operations in Cambodia effectively.
Minister Vanndy welcomed Mr. Oerlemans to Cambodia and praised Cambrew for its long-standing contribution as a responsible corporate citizen and taxpayer. The Minister highlighted the Royal Government's moratorium on new beer-production licenses, except for export-only purposes, and the regulation of excessive promotional practices that may encourage harmful consumption patterns. He emphasized that excessive promotion and discounting are not beneficial for the industry or consumers.
The Minister further urged Cambrew to increase the use of local content in its production to stimulate small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) participation. He also encouraged support for informal-economy actors linked to the beverage supply chain, such as beer promotion workers, street vendors selling company beverages, and small depots, to register and access protections and benefits.
Mr. Oerlemans expressed support for these initiatives, confirming that Cambrew will consider promoting this message as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.