Kimberly-Clark seeks bigger footprint in CLMV countries

Kimberly-Clark Professional Thailand, a maker of tissue and safety-related products, plans to tap business opportunities in CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam), targeting factories and hotels.

General manager and director Karun Sangfai said Kimberly-Clark was looking for a distributor for its products in Myanmar, which has opened up to various foreign businesses and factories. In Vietnam, the company has four distributors in Danang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

The target client groups are factories and five-star hotels such as Marriott and Novotel.

Colgate-Palmolive to open factory in Myanmar

The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) has given U.S. company Colgate-Palmolive a licence to produce commodities in Myanmar.

The company applied to the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) to create Colgate-Palmolive (Myanmar) Ltd., and was granted permission on May 29. The MIC fully licensed the company on June 13.

Local gold price dropping

The price of gold foil in Myanmar is dropping by over US$10 a tical because the supply is higher than the demand.

The gold sheet has been traded at more than US$660 early May before falling to US$650 at the month’s end.

“Within a week, gold price falls by more than Ks 10,000. As it is back-to-school season, the supply of gold is higher than the demand,” said secretary of Myanmar Gold Entrepreneurs Association Kyaw Win (from Oo Htone gold shop).

Zhulian Corp To Enter Myanmar Market By Q3 Of 2014

GEORGE TOWN, May 7 (Bernama) -- Zhulian Corporation Bhd, a multi-level marketing firm, will enter the Myanmar market by the third quarter of 2014 as part of the group's overseas market expansion.

Group managing director Teoh Meng Keat said Myanmar is touted as the new frontier market amongst emerging countries in terms of the consumer segment and has appointed a local master agent to oversee the business there.

He said due to local laws limiting company ownership, the group will export its products directly to the master agent, who will then sell it to locals.

Burma’s emerging rich

As Burma’s economy steadily grows, a higher percentage of Rangoon’s population are finding themselves with more cash to spend.

Imported products from Thailand and Hong Kong can be seen on display in downtown shopping malls – something that would have been impossible two years ago as foreign goods were banned under the military junta.

Big international brands are now moving in to take advantage of the world’s last frontier markets: soft-drink giant Coca-Cola opened a factory in Burma in June 2013; VISA and MasterCard now operate inside the country; and Japanese companies Mitsubishi Corp and Sumitomo are expanding their presence in Rangoon.

Right local partner key for Thai SMEs looking to Myanmar

Thai small and medium-sized enterprises looking to establish a footprint in Myanmar should find the right local distribution partners, and their products should not be dependent on the country's currently underdeveloped infrastructure, according to experts in doing business there.

Speaking at the second session of the "Thailand-Myanmar Trade Investment Relations in the Age of AEC" seminar, Michael Lim, chairman of Today Group Myanmar - a leading marketing communications and media business network - said enterprises should understand Myanmar people's behaviour before selling their products in the market.

London Cigarette Company to be inspected for legal breach

British American Tobacco Myanmar Ltd, which manufactures and distributes London cigarettes in Myanmar, is under inspection by respective authorities for its alleged breach of export rules, according to government officials.

It is one of the cigarette companies approved by the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) and so is required to abide by the 1/2013 notification of the MIC, which says “90 percent of their total production output must be exported.” This means that, if 10 packs are sold locally, 90 packs must be exported.

Japan's Aeon is looking to expand in five Asean countries

Japanese conglomerate Aeon is likely to expand its business into five countries in Southeast Asia including Thailand if those countries provide a high growth rate in the next few years.

That is especially the case for Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

The Aeon Group has assigned Aeon Thana Sinsap (Thailand) to oversee microfinance and leasing businesses in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos through the latter's wholly owned subsidiaries.

Arbitor slams UMEHL over foul play

A local arbitrator presiding over a dispute between military-backed Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (UMEHL) and a commercial partner has publically accused the conglomerate of deliberately sabotaging the suit through a number of stunts geared toward terminating the proceedings.

In a notice published in the state-run New Light of Myanmar on March 12, the arbitrator handling a commercial dispute between UMEHL and TAG Company Limited over a joint-venture soap factory accused UMEHL of physically locking the arbitrator and TAG Co representatives out of the arbitration chamber ahead of a scheduled meeting as well as removing furniture from an arbitration room.

Yoma aim to boost coffee production in Burma with a large scale investment

A Singapore-listed company has laid out plans that could revolutionise coffee production in Burma, Irrawaddy report.

Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. aim to develop what it says could be the largest plantation in the south-east Asian country which it is hoped could transform the currently tepid coffee industry.

Burma is well placed to become a leading nation when it comes to coffee production. Geographically advantageous, Burma’s potential reach that of neighbouring Vietnam who, in 2012, grew around 1.3m tons of coffee. Burma managed just 8,000 tons, with just fewer than 100 tons being exported to lucrative foreign markets.

Myanmar ready for sophisticated product reviews—CG chief editor

As Myanmar has developed more transparent interactions with the rest of the world, more international brands, food, and IT products have been entering the country. Thus a consumer guide that includes expert advice and product reviews has become a necessity for local people.

Most countries have consumer guides for automobiles, electronics, housing, health, and various services. As Myanmar is unfamiliar with such consumer guides, Eleven Media recently interviewed Consumer Guide magazine’s chief editor Aung Myo Khin, on the position and principle of the magazine.

Nielsen and MMRD Announce Myanmar Joint Venture

Nielsen/MMRD collaboration to provide in-depth understanding of the Myanmar marketplace and consumer behavior

YANGON, Myanmar, Mar 02, 2014 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nielsen Holdings N.V. NLSN -1.80% , a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy, and Myanmar Marketing Research & Development Co., Ltd (MMRD), the pioneer of research services in Myanmar with over 20 years of experience in the market, today announced a new joint venture collaboration, effective 1 March 2014.

First Myanmar consumer guide now available

The first issue of the Myanmar Consumer Guidebook was introduced to locals with a launch at the Summit Parkview Hotel in Yangon on Thursday (February 27).

“We want people to understand what the products are. Experiencing our guide book will give consumers more options to choose what products are suitable for them,” chief editor Aung Myo Khin said at the launch.

TTW plans to expand capacity, eyes Myanmar

Thai Tap Water Supply (TTW), a producer and distributor of tap water in Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon for the Provincial Waterworks Authority, plans to invest between Bt2.2 billion and Bt2.5 billion to expand its production capacity by 100,000 cubic metres per day, hoping to generate Bt5.9 billion in revenue this year.

TTW also expects to conclude plans to invest in Myanmar this year.

"Flammable" snacks under review by FDA

A photo of a flaming bag of potato chips on social media has prompted a Food and Drug Administration investigation into snack-maker Oishi, said Dr Khin Saw Hla, deputy director of the administration’s Yangon branch.

After a photo of Oishi chips in flames caused a stir on Facebook last week, with numerous users weighing in with opinions, the FDA “inspected their ingredients in detail”, said Dr Khin Saw Hla.

“We approved this brand as being safe for consumers, but it was found that the snacks can burn like candles,” she said.

What medicine does(n’t) know about thanaka

Thanakha is, of course, ubiquitous in Myanmar. Its use crosses ethnic and religious boundaries. Although women in most social and economic classes do apply thanaka, descriptions of its use are often essentialist. Statements such as “every Myanmar woman adores thanaka” and “the Burmese have thanaka to thank for the glowing reputation of their complexion” are common in promotional literature.

Regardless of ethnographic complexities, it’s probably safe to say that thanaka in Myanmar is in parts a cosmetic, a preventative-health treatment and a tradition. Over the years, I’ve heard people say it cools the skin, offers sun protection, controls acne, heals wounds, treats rashes and provides nutritional supplement for babies.

Japan's Aeon to launch retailing business in Myanmar

Japanese retailer Aeon Co. plans to launch retailing business in Myanmar, sources close to the matter said Saturday.

Aeon is the first major Japanese retailer to branch out to Myanmar since a civilian government took over power from the military in 2011.

The project calls for setting up a representative's office in Yangon in March to lay the groundwork for launching a shopping mall in the country's former capital and largest city by 2016.

MIC allows over 100 foreign investment businesses this year

Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) has granted permission for more than 100 foreign investment businesses in this year, including beer and cigarette makers.

For the period of January to December 19, MIC said it granted permission for 118 foreign investment businesses and joint ventures to operate in the country.

Cigarette prices on the rise

Task forces working to snuff out illegal imports have importers running scared, leading to a shortage of brand-name cigarettes.

First it was the booze. Now the government task force targeting illegal alcohol imports – including the confiscation of tens of thousands of bottles of alcohol – has begun cracking down on illegal cigarette imports, officials said.

STADA EXPANDS ITS BUSINESS ACTIVITIES INTO MYANMAR

Bad Vilbel/Yangon, December 16, 2013 - Products from the German pharmaceutical producer STADA are now also available in Myanmar (Burma). Local partners offer the relevant STADA products, including both generics and branded products, on the market via in-licensing. The product range on offer is to be expanded gradually. This makes STADA one of the first western pharmaceutical companies to take up activities in this Southeast Asian country.