Copenhagen  - Danish brewer Carlsberg said Wednesday it has bought a 16 per cent stake in state-owned Vietnamese brewery Habeco for some 115 million dollars.

Last month, the Vietnamese Industry Ministry approved Habeco's choice of Carlsberg as strategic partner.

Habeco is market leader in northern Vietnam, Carlsberg said, noting that beer consumption in Vietnam was on the rise.

Current per capita consumption is 19 litres per year, and Carlsberg expected it would grow some 8 per cent per year - similar to the country's GDP.

The Danish group has been active in Vietnam since 1993 after it formed a joint venture with Viet Ha Brewery. Two years later it created another joint venture, Hue Brewery.

Carlsberg also has a 30 per cent stake in Halong Brewery and last year formed a joint venture with Habeco near Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam. (dpa)