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Peace Myanmar Group
The Peace Myanmar Group (Burmese: ပိ(စ်) မြန်မာ ဂရု(ပ်)ကုမ္ပဏီ, also known as PMG Group), a leading Myanmar corporation in distribution, alcoholic beverages and bottled drinking water. Over 3 decades of its operations, PMG was a pioneer in quality standards as one of the first ISO9001 certified consumer goods companies in the country. It is also a company that adheres to FDA guidelines and employees more than 1,000 people.

Organization
Peace Myanmar Group was founded by three Burmese businessmen, U Tun Linn, U Thein Win and U Min Aung on 24th June 1993. The major shareholders are the three executive directors. The alcohol distillery, water factory and the headquarters are located in the country’s largest city, Yangon, while other branches spread nationwide.

History
Founded in 1993, the company established its distillery in part to provide an alternative to counterfeit liquor market. In the following year 1994, it set up a purified bottled drinking water factory to bring to market quality drinking water. The company expanded in 2001 by adding distillery capacity and installed an AFC Boiler to reduce air pollution. Recognized again for its quality assurance and environmental management, PMG received its ISO 9001:2000 Certificate in 2003. PMG is one of the first consumer manufacturing companies to receive an ISO certification in Myanmar.

In 2007, it was reported by The Irrawaddy that it, among many other major private companies at the time like Max Myanmar and International Beverages Trading, would be targeted by the Burmese government for tax evasion. However, none of the companies were found to be guilty. PMG Group, along with Myanmar Brewery Ltd and International Beverages Trading Co., Ltd and Pe were three of the major advertisers of alcohol, until a ban on such advertisements in print and broadcast media was instituted by the Burmese government in 2010.

Products
To-date, PMG serves a total of eight alcohol brands and one bottled drinking water brand. Each product features a distinctive flavor and aroma to meet expectations of different consumers.

Drinking Water
PMG produced its first drinking water product, packaged in 1 Litre & 20 Litre bottles, in 1995, becoming the very first purified drinking water in Myanmar. It later added to a lineup of 0.3 L, 0.5 L & 5 L bottle packaging to satisfy market demands. In 2016, PMG starts introducing Crush! Drinking water, packaged in environmentally friendly plastic bottles.

Standard Liquor
PMG’s first alcoholic beverage product Myanmar Rum was introduced to customers in 1995. Soon after, PMG launched new products under the “Myanmar” line – Myanmar Rum, Myanmar Whisky, Myanmar Dry Gin and Myanmar Drinking Water. These were subsequently joined by several products including Majesty Whisky, Freedom Light Whisky, Freedom Smooth+ Whisky.

Premium Liquor
PMG unveiled its new premium products Generation Z Rum in 2019, and Generation Z Gin in 2020, to better appeal to Myanmar’s growing consumer segment which sought out products comparable to international market offerings.

Drinking Water
PMG bottled drinking water is produced from the best available water source in Yangon, with samples undergoing rigorous laboratory tests in Singapore before being brought to market for Myanmar consumers.

PMG Crush! Drinking Water competed in the 2019 Monde Selection in Belgium with more than 3,000 competing products from 92 countries, winning the Grand Gold Award (highest gold medal) for its 20% reduction in plastic content and high-quality packaging.

Standard Liquor
1. Freedom Light Whisky Freedom Light Whisky is the first premium blended light whisky in Myanmar.

Taste


 * Grain: 35%
 * Oak : 20%
 * Fruit : 12%
 * Peaty: 3%
 * Sweet: 30%

Character

2. Freedom Smooth+Whisky The smoothness of Freedom Smooth+ Whisky comes from a balanced mix of malt and quality grain.
 * Aroma:Lightly Layered under the sweet malty notes are traces of wood and honey
 * Flavor: Berries, grains and honey weaved together by rich vanilla
 * Award: Monde Selection 2019_Silver Award/London Spirits Competition 2019_Bronze Award

Taster


 * Grain: 40%
 * Oak : 10%
 * Fruit : 27%
 * Char : 3%
 * Sweet: 20%

Character


 * Aroma: Delicate aroma that reveals the vanilla and a subtle malty hint
 * Flavor: Soft on the palate with the mellow and fruity notes
 * Award: Monde Selection 2020_Gold Award

3. Majesty Whisky Aged 3 years in oak barrels under the guidance of an international expert, blended malt whisky Majesty provides a smooth whisky profile.

Taste


 * Grain: 40%
 * Oak : 10%
 * Fruit : 27%
 * Char : 3%
 * Sweet: 20%

Character


 * Aroma: Fruity and woody bright notes
 * Flavor: Sweet and smooth with a blend of spiced oak and Yamanay woods
 * Award: iTQi 2017_Superior Taste Award/Monde Selection 2017_Silver Award/ SIP 2017_Bronze

4. Myanmar Rum Myanmar Rum is quickly becoming the market leader in Myanmar after its launch for its unique aroma resulted from the Yamanay wood aging.

Taste


 * Grain: 40%
 * Oak : 17%
 * Fruit : 0%
 * Char : 3%
 * Sweet: 40%

Character


 * Aroma: Bespoke of natural Yamanay notes with well-balanced oakiness
 * Flavor: Spicy yet sweet with a hint of caramel in this full-bodied drink
 * Award: iTQi 2017_Superior Taste Award/SIP 2017_Platinum

5. Myanmar Dry Gin Myanmar Dry Gin is best served over ice with a slice of lime or in cocktails. Popular among the tribes in the Kachin hills as well as bartenders in Yangon.

Taste


 * Grain: 40%
 * Oak : 0%
 * Fruit : 40%
 * Char : 0%
 * Sweet: 20%

Character


 * Aroma: Rich notes of salivating fruit
 * Flavor: Refreshingly smooth with sweet,fruity and flavorful with hints of grain
 * Award: iTQi 2017_Superior Taste Award

6. Myanmar Whisky One of PMG’s oldest whisky brands, Myanmar Whisky Blue is characterized by an exquisite lingering aroma and balanced flavor.

Taste


 * Grain: 20%
 * Oak : 20%
 * Fruit : 7%
 * Char : 3%
 * Sweet: 50%

Character


 * Aroma: Balance of oak and fruity with notes of chocolate & caramel
 * Flavor: Sweet woody notes of oak, caramel, and spice
 * Award: iTQi 2017_Superior Taste Award

Premium Liquor
1. Generation Z Rum Generation Z is a fusion of traditional and modern touches. It is velvety and rich in natural woody notes that results from the marriage of Rum aged in oak wood and local Yamanay wood.

Taste


 * Grain: 40%
 * Oak : 20%
 * Fruit : 7%
 * Char : 3%
 * Sweet: 30%

Character


 * Aroma: Natural woody note with a combination of Yamanay and Oak
 * Flavor: Layered notes of spices with a finish hint of brown sugar
 * Award: San Francisco World Spirits Competition_Silver Award (Page 62)

2. Generation Z Gin The latest premium product - Generation Z Gin represents the capability of Myanmar to tap into an international audience. It is crafted using imported and local raw materials and craftsmanship honed for 28 years.

Taste


 * Grain: 43%
 * Oak : 0%
 * Fruit : 29%
 * Char : 0%
 * Sweet: 28%

Character


 * Aroma: Bold notes of Juniper berries, flora and Chin and Kachin botanicals
 * Flavor: Mon pomelo and lemongrass aromatics

Production
A lot of the alcohol were aged by once-used American barrels which produces deep notes the PMG beverages are known for. PMG also had made-for-use barrels, assembled painstakingly from Myanmar wood, to create distinct local flavors aged to under Yangon’s warm weather.

PMG follows International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certified process for its production of consumer goods consumer goods, PMG's Quality Management System in 2003 (ISO 9001:2000), (ISO 9001:2008) in 2009 and (ISO 9001:2015) in 2018, all reflect the commitment to manufacturing quality.

Criticism
PMG was allegedly founded by Yang Mao-liang, a Kokang warlord and head of a rebel group, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and helped launder black money for the MNDAA. The allegations first appeared in 1998 in an Asia Week article titled “Business Is Blooming”. In 2020, the company issued a statement to deny these allegations, which resurfaced long after the 1998 article was published.

According to the statement, PMG stated that “at no level in the business does PMG have any commercial, familial, personal, professional, physical or any other ties with this individual or the MNDAA”. The statement goes on to say that PMG was founded by U Tun Linn, U Thein Win and U Min Aung in 1993 on June 24th as seen in the certificate of incorporation and shareholder documents, using money from existing legitimate businesses.

PMG also argued that the allegation in the 1998 article was built on information that could not be verified, but nevertheless was published as verified fact, with the two original authors unable to obtain material evidence from their sources. PMG claimed that the authors and their sources might have only had a low level of knowledge of PMG itself, as they erroneously attributed “several energy drinks” and a whisky called “Highland Pride” to the company – neither of which has ever been produced in the history of the business.

PMG said it was not contacted for an opportunity to respond to this article before it was published and that the article and its allegations, written in English language, spread for years from its publication undiscovered by its entirely Myanmar speaking organization until much later. The company’s leadership was unequipped to address the article and its inaccuracies effectively under those previous conditions.

Corporate Social Responsibility
PMG has supported the communities of the country, conducting several corporate social responsibility programs under its “Nyein Chan Myanmar” (Peace Myanmar) initiative since 2014. Regular blood donations, contributions towards disabilities and autism associations, natural disaster affected peoples and other activates are conducted as needed. When the global pandemic COVID-19 struck Myanmar, PMG supported the country’s government in an effort to protect its vulnerable population. The company donated thousands of bottled waters to quarantine centers and helped others to make their donations convenient, managing the transportation and donation with PMG staff.

Awards
PMG was recognized by the Myanmar government as 5th Highest Commercial taxpayer for the 2011-2012 Fiscal Year, 73rd Commercial taxpayer for the 2014-2015 Fiscal Year, 322nd Income taxpayer for the 2014-2015 Fiscal Year and 12th Special Goods taxpayer for the 2017-2018 Fiscal Year.

Other Awards:
The company also received prestigious domestic and international awards including a Gold medal in Best Career Advancement program, Bronze medal in Best Use of Internal Marketing for Company pride and Finalist for Overall Best of the Best.

Quality Awards:
In recognition of its products’ quality, PMG also clinched the Grand Gold medal in Monde Selection, Three Stars award for iTQi Superior Taste, Best of Class Platinum award for SIP, Silver medal in San Francisco World Spirit Award and Bronze medal in London Spirit Competition.