Sapporo Long An - a symbol of success for Japanese enterprises in Long An

From Japan's first major FDI project

2011 marked an important turning point when Sapporo Group - a famous beer brand with 140 years of history - officially chose Long An as the destination for the group's largest investment project in Southeast Asia with a capital of 90 million USD. This strategic decision was the result of a thorough market survey and analysis process over two years.

Chairman of Long An Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van Ut at the working session at Sapporo Group headquarters

Sapporo experts have recognized the outstanding advantages of Long An with its strategic geographical location - the gateway connecting Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, along with a well-invested transport infrastructure system. However, the most important factor that made this Japanese corporation decide to "bet" is the attractive tax incentive policy along with the enthusiastic reception from the local government. These are positive signs showing an open investment environment and long-term development potential.

On that basis, the Sapporo factory was started to be built in Viet Hoa - Duc Hoa III Industrial Park with a total area of ​​10 hectares. This was not only the largest investment project of the group in Southeast Asia at that time, but also became one of the pioneering and most important FDI projects in the history of industrial development of Long An province. The synchronous application of the most modern production technologies from Japan has helped the factory quickly affirm its leading position in quality in the Vietnamese beer industry.

From the very beginning, Long An authorities have shown their determination to support businesses with specific and practical actions. Typically, the time for granting investment licenses has been shortened to only 15 days - 50% faster than normal regulations. In addition, Sapporo also enjoys a special preferential tax rate of 10% for 15 years (half the normal rate), along with many other support policies on human resource training and access to local raw materials.

This support did not stop at the initial stage but continued throughout the operation. In 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out strongly, Sapporo, like many other businesses, faced the risk of stopping production. However, thanks to the "3 on-site" special mechanism (on-site production, on-site eating, on-site accommodation) flexibly applied by the provincial government along with support packages for reducing infrastructure fees, the factory was able to maintain operations with 85% of its workforce. Thanks to timely support measures, the factory quickly recovered production activities and achieved stable growth in the post-pandemic period.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Long An Province Nguyen Van Ut emphasized: "We always believe that the success of enterprises is also the success of the locality. With Sapporo, we not only see them as an investor but also a long-term development partner."

Ideal destination for investors

After more than 10 years of operation, Sapporo Long An has achieved proud achievements. From an initial capacity of 50 million liters/year (2011), the factory has continuously expanded and upgraded to reach a capacity of 200 million liters/year by 2023 - 4 times higher than the initial time. The factory's products have contributed significantly to the province's total export turnover. The factory creates direct jobs for 530 workers and about 2,000 indirect jobs through local suppliers and partners. In particular, the Sapporo Premium product line has become the pride of Long An people, affectionately called "Long An's beer" by local consumers.

Sapporo Beer Factory in Duc Hoa 3 Industrial Park

Sapporo's success in Long An has become a model to help Long An attract 161 projects of Japanese enterprises investing in the province with a total registered capital of up to 1.3 billion USD (according to data from the Long An Provincial Department of Finance in March 2025). According to JETRO Chief Representative in Ho Chi Minh City Takeo Nakajima: Sapporo's story is the clearest proof of the win-win cooperation model between Japanese enterprises and Vietnamese localities. Their success has paved the way for many other Japanese enterprises to confidently invest in Vietnam."

Looking to the future, Sapporo is preparing for a new investment phase worth 50 million USD in 2026, focusing on two main development directions: converting to a green factory model with an energy-saving, carbon-reducing production system; developing a high-quality organic beer product line, meeting the trend of sustainable consumption.

Looking back on more than a decade of accompanying Long An, Sapporo's success does not simply come from sharp business strategies or modern technology lines imported from Japan. What makes the difference is the symbiotic relationship nurtured from deep understanding and companionship between businesses and local authorities. Bilateral working sessions do not stop at regular meetings according to standards, but develop into substantive strategic dialogues, where all issues from production to workers' lives are discussed frankly. Community support initiatives are not simply charity activities, but have become truly sustainable development projects bearing the mark of Japan.

In particular, the well-designed employee care program has gone beyond the usual welfare framework, becoming a model that many FDI enterprises have learned from. This multi-dimensional connection has created a partnership that goes beyond the framework of simple economic cooperation, forming a "philosophy of co-development" that both sides are imbued with. The successful lesson from Sapporo in Long An has become a new standard in attracting FDI, proving that when sincerity is put first, sustainable values ​​will naturally be created.

Speaking at the Long An - Japan Trade and Investment Promotion Program 2025, Mr. Katsuhiko Isui emphasized, “The success of Sapporo Vietnam in Long An is not only a testament to the attractive investment environment, but also an invitation to other Japanese businesses. Looking at the development of Sapporo, we can see that Long An is an ideal destination for Japanese investors who want to expand their business in Vietnam.

General Director of Sapporo Vietnam speaks at the Long An - Japan Investment Promotion Program 2025 at the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan

Sapporo's journey of "coming, staying and succeeding" in Long An not only affirms the province's position on the investment map but also opens up opportunities for many other Japanese enterprises. In the future, with a sustainable development orientation, Long An will continue to be a "golden land" to nurture the next success stories, together with Japanese investors in particular and foreign investors in general, writing a new chapter for industrial development in Vietnam.

TRUONG GIANG

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/sapporo-long-an-bieu-tuong-thanh-cong-cua-doanh-nghiep-nhat-ban-tai-long-an-post409073.html