In March, 80s tycoon Alan Bond (see Brauwelt International 1/2000) was released from prison.

When you think of Mexico, what picture immediately springs to mind? Are you thinking of men in ponchos and sombreros, perhaps Pancho Villa (steady now, this is political territory), or men with black moustaches in leather gear usually worn by Cowboys (or was that the members of the band Village People?). Anyway. One thing is certain: You are NOT thinking of Clint Eastwood.

That’s a shame. Wasn’t he the epitome of "cool" in the first Spaghetti Western "For a Fistful of Dollars" (1964) directed by Sergio Leone? A real hunk. You can bet that woman was thinking of him when she ordered a bottle of Corona Extra and slice of lime at lunchtime in the pub on the ground floor of New York’s Empire State Building where people usually go for a Bud.

All right, we confess. Oh no....

The government-owned Hanoi Beer Company (Habeco) in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi has placed an order with Ziemann for supply of a complete brewing plant, from malt receipt all the way to bottling and kegging plants. This plant will double the annual production capacity of Habeco‘s Hanoi brewery to 1 million hl of sales beer. The contract has been signed in Hanoi on October 22nd, 1999. The formal ceremony was attended by representatives of the Vietnamese government and the German embassy. This investment, in the double digit million range, will strengthen Habeco‘s market position in competition with national and international beer brands.

Switzerland’s major brewer, the Feldschlösschen-Hürlimann Holding, has announced plans to get out of brewing before the end of the year in an effort to focus on its more profitable real estate business. The president Robert A. Jeker has been quoted saying that although the brewing business was profitable, it did not generate enough profit to finance restructuring measures which would be necessary to become more competitive and to regain market share. Over the past ten years, beer consumption in Switzerland has declined 17% to 58 litres per capita.
Interestingly, last year only, the board of Feldschlösschen-Hürlimann had intended to sell the real estate side of the business. On 22 May at the annual meeting the shareholders gave their consent to the sale of the beverage business..

Had it not been for the contribution of its Chinese brewing operations which realised a turnover of more than US$131.6 million according to the latest annual report, the turnover of the Chocolate Products (Malaysia) Bhd would have been significantly lower than the US$179 million reported. The group ventured into China in 1995 where it has nine breweries. The Chinese operations are expected to contribute significantly to the group’s performance in the medium turn even as its chocolate operations are rationalised because the effect of the severe economic downturn in Malaysia will continue to dent earnings.

Coca-Cola’s and PepsiCo’s Indian officials have come together to protest against excise duties which are in excess of related goods and commodities. An Indian Soft Drink Manufacturers’ Association representative said that it was surprising that the government decided to tax the industry at 40% which is significantly higher than the 8% duty put on sugar confectionery and fruit juices and the 16% duty placed on mineral water, instant coffee and chewing gum. It is believed that together Coke and Pepsi have accumulated losses of US$138 million. Growth is at an all time low of 5% against last year’s growth of 25%.

The state of South Australia is fast becoming an important centre for research into genetically modified crops. Last year genetically modified field peas and potatoes were trialled.
The University of Adelaide’s research programme included 600 transgenic wheat plants and 1,500 transgenic barley plants which were trialled at trathalbyn.
This year paddock trials are scheduled for genetically modified barley, wheat, indian mustard and canola. Most field work is reserved for genetically modified canola by Aventis Crop Science and Monsanto Australia.
Peter Langridge, professor of plant science at the University of Adelaide, urged a rational debate on GMO and said that the state of South Australia should resist calls for a moratorium..

They are sitting on packed suitcases. Lion Nathan announced plans to move headquarters and its primary share market listing from Auckland to Sydney. This move across the Tasman is supposed to make access to global financial services and markets easier. More-over, the company derives more than 80% of its profits from Australia where it has 70% of its assets. Chairman Douglas Myers explained the change of domicile would bring a 20% increase in dividend payment which could rise to A$8c from NZ$8c. Lion Nathan announced half-year profits up 17% to NZ$97.1 million (US$45.4 million) for the six months to 29 February. For the same period, Lion Nathan’s share of the Australian beer market has risen by 0.5% to 41.6%.6% compared with Foster’s 85%. From presently 5.9%..

... when Australia’s maltsters were sitting on their hands. However, fresh are the memories of the 80s’ calamity when Australia’s maltsters witnessed a decline in exports. As Lesley MacLeod, Barrett Burston Malting Co. pointed out in her presentation at the IOB Asia Pacific Section’s conference in Singapore, Australia’s maltsters had a 32% share of the Japanese malt market in 1981 and only 19% in 1996.
The 80s witnessed a change in brewing parameters - alcohol content, adjunct choice, malt usage etc. - which the maltsters were unable to comply with immediately, having stuck to their barley varieties for too long. Since then, the industry has taken a keen interest in barley breeding so that it can better keep up with market changes. The same applies to pesticides. (BIL).
....

The beery Aussi has become an endangered species. Beer is rapidly loosing its status as the national drink after a peak in consumption in 1981 when Australians aged over 18 years consumed 129 litres of beer each. After a constant decline they now consume about 95 litres per capita. 68% of males and 48% of females are regular consumers with 14% of males and 6% of females drinking every day. People aged over 60 years are more likely to drink every day than any other age group (31% of males and 18% of females). These figures were revealed in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s "Statistics on Drug Use in Australia".