SABECO celebrates 150 years with new meaningful strategy

SABECO celebrates 150 years with new meaningful strategy

SABECO has blended heritage, community, and innovation in a year-long campaign, turning its 150th anniversary into both a national celebration and a forward-looking business strategy.

On September 10, the company launched its “150 Years of a Living Legacy Ever Growing, Ever Reaching” campaign in Ho Chi Minh City. The initiative reflects the company’s determination to tie corporate development to national progress.

At the heart of the campaign is Legacy On The Move, a mobile exhibition housed in a specially designed bus. Over two months, it will travel through provinces and cities, beginning at the historic Bia Saigon brewery in Ho Chi Minh City and ending in Hanoi. Along the way, it will stop in Can Tho, Vinh Long, Vung Tau, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh, and Nghe An, connecting SABECO’s story with communities across the country. The journey symbolises both geographical and generational connection, taking heritage directly to the people who have made SABECO a household name.

The campaign also introduces Legacy Nights, large-scale community events staged in Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Long, Khanh Hoa, Dak Lak, and Hanoi. Combining cultural performance, interactive installations, and brand experiences, these events are designed to extend the anniversary beyond ceremonial speeches into spaces where people can celebrate, learn, and engage.

Just two days after the campaign launch, SABECO staged the first Legacy Night in Ho Chi Minh City. Thousands of participants attended the event, which transformed the venue into a vibrant showcase of history, innovation, and community.

The design of the event was ambitious: five immersive zones with each telling a chapter of SABECO’s story. The 150 Steps From Heritage zone retraced the company’s milestones; the Legacy of Progress zone highlighted its three flagship brands, reintroduced through interactive installations; the Legacy of Stewardship emphasised sustainability with displays of green initiatives; the Legacy of Brewing Excellence honoured brewmasters and international awards; while the Legacy with Communities zone offered games, local cuisine, and live performances by popular artists.

CEO Lester Tan stressed that the events aspire to create meaningful spaces for communities to connect and celebrate, while reinforcing commitment to unity and a thriving future.

“From tradition to transformation, SABECO’s legacy has been built with pioneering spirit, bold innovation, and a deep commitment to giving back to society. The campaign is our tribute to these values, where we express our pride in heritage, while reaffirming our unwavering commitment to Vietnam’s future,” he said.

That vision is underlined by the creation of the Ambassador of National Progress Award, developed with Dai Doan Ket newspaper under the guidance of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. The award will honour 150 unsung heroes across the nation: ordinary citizens whose resilience, unity, and service embody the values SABECO wishes to celebrate.

Vu Van Tien, member of the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, said, “This initiative nurtures solidarity and encourages younger generations to carry forward the mission of building a progressive, civilised society enriched with cultural identity. With active participation from businesses and society, it will cultivate compassion, responsibility, and unity.”

By linking its anniversary with civic recognition, SABECO positions itself as a partner in nation-building, intertwining its corporate narrative with Vietnam’s broader aspirations.

The balance of celebration and strategy is deemed crucial for the company. Vietnam’s beer industry remains one of Asia’s fastest-growing, buoyed by demographics and rising incomes. Yet competition has intensified as global brewers target the domestic market. SABECO, with 25 breweries and 11 subsidiaries nationwide, enjoys scale and reach, but heritage alone cannot secure its future.

SABECO is connecting people young and old through meaningful community activities

The 150-year campaign therefore doubles as a repositioning exercise, asserting SABECO’s identity as both authentically Vietnamese and globally credible.

That duality is reinforced by its sustainability agenda. SABECO has expanded environmental, social, and governance programmes. These include cutting energy and water use, promoting recycling, encouraging active lifestyles, and empowering communities. International recognition has been received through awards at the World Beer Awards and International Beer Cup in 2024, and a place in Fortune’s ranking of the Top 500 companies in Southeast Asia.

In this sense, leaders said the 150-year milestone is both backward-looking and forward-facing. It celebrates brewing heritage while signalling transformation into a modern, purpose-driven enterprise. Heritage provides the emotional foundation, while innovation and sustainability provide the competitive edge.

When a small ice workshop opened in Saigon in 1875, few could have imagined it would evolve into Vietnam’s largest brewer and a national icon. Over the next century and a half, what became SABECO grew alongside the country’s modern history. Its flagship brands Bia

Saigon, 333, and Lac Viet are deemed social symbols, present at weddings, Lunar New Year reunions, football celebrations, and countless gatherings across the nation.

As the campaign travels northward, culminating in Hanoi, it mirrors SABECO’s journey: from colonial-era origins to a modern corporation embedded in national identity, from a domestic brewer to a company aiming for regional influence. The symbolism is clear: SABECO wants to be remembered not just for what it brewed, but for what it contributed to Vietnam’s story.

“The spirit of togetherness defines who we are, fuels our progress, and continues to inspire our vision to thrive for tomorrow – not just as a leading beverage company, but as a brand that embodies the pride and spirit of Vietnam,” Tan explained.

VIR