The usual suspects

Feldschlösschen-Hürlimann Holding AG, the listed Swiss beverage and real estate group, has not named potential buyers for its SFR1.0 billion beverage division yet although it is known that the Swiss Eichhof Holding AG and Carlsberg are interested. Heineken and SAB have also been named as showing an interest in the troubled group whose net loss increased to SFR5.3 million (US$3.1 million) in the first half of 2000. For the full year the group has forecasted a profit which would fall short of the 1999 net profit of SFR50.2 million.

Wine, rather

With wine becoming the investment of choice among brewers, Lion Nathan decided to follow the general trend. In May the Tasman brewer bought a 13.5% stake in the wine company Montana Group, New Zealand’s biggest wine group, for about A$55 million. Montana, which has a dual listing on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges, holds more than 35% of the NZ wine market.
In August, Lion Nathan said it intended to raise the stake by 5% to 25%. The announcement came amid speculation that Lion Nathan only raised its stake to block Foster’s Brewing Group, which had also eyed up Montana. There had been a rumour as early as last year that Foster’s might offer up to A$485 million for Montana..

Easy on the eye

Last year, the top 10 soft drink brands accounted for more than 1200 billboards in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Pepsi Cola was top of the league with almost 400 billboards in the three cities, followed by Coca-Cola with 186 and 7-Up with 182 according to Guangdong Kangsai Marketing Services.

Lift plus

Honestly, no pun intended. Coca-Cola Australia introduced Lift Plus, an energy drink, containing vitamin B, guarana and ginseng. The drink is marketed as a natural lift-me-up and sold in a 250ml bullet can and a 355ml resealable glass bottle through convenience stores, licensed premises, petrol stations and food courts, among others.

Fine dining, sir

In an effort to bring beer back on the fine dining table, Lion Nathan has released a new Hahn Special Vintage Ale which is packaged in a champagne bottle. Lion Nathan’s chief brewer Bill Taylor was quoted saying that the accountants at Lion Nathan were not so keen on the product because of the higher production costs but that he did not expect any problems selling the limited release. 150,000 bottles - should sell like hot cakes.

Hoegaarden White, brewed by Interbrew, was named Grand Champion Beer of 2000 at the Liquorland Australian International Beer Awards in Melbourne. It beat 480 beers from 25 countries. Sydney’s Malt Shovel Brewery was named Champion Australasian Brewery and its brand James Squire Original Pilsener was awarded the title Champion Australasian Beer.

Life of a brewer

Founded in 1861 to brew beer for the British Empire’s thirsty soldiers, Pakistan’s only brewery, the Murree Brewery Co., has fallen on hard times since the military powers have closed the few licensed alcohol outlets in Karachi in October 1999. In the whole of the country there are only a handful places left where the brewer’s beers and spirits are on sale. Operating at half capacity, the brewery produces 14,000 hl of beer a year in a country in which 97% of the population is Muslim and where alcohol is formally banned. Small wonder that Cindy, the company’s non-alcoholic beer, is Murree’s best seller. The brewery is owned by a Zoroastrian Parsee who is exempt from the alcohol ban.

More trouble ahead

For some time life was good, profit-wise, for brewers in Malaysia. Carlsberg and Guinness even weathered the storm of the Asian Crisis remarkably well. Now it seems that their luck may be running out. In August, grenades were thrown into the Carlsberg plant causing little damage. Fortunately no one was injured as the grenade attack happened in the middle of the night. Although Carlsberg’s officials played down the significance of the attack by a militant Muslim group, there is no denying that non-Muslim institutions will have to face up to increased pressures arising from Islamic militants who aim at turning Malaysia into an Islamic state.
In the meantime, the government has raised the taxes on alcoholic beverages by 20%. Carlsberg’s pre-tax profit fell 7.6%..

Naked truth

Whether it’s a case of "sex sells" or not only the future sales figures of Guinness will tell. Guinness in Australia has released a TV spot called Decoy in which two Aussi mates take off their clothes in order to help their mate who is also in the nude and being chased by two angry, fully-dressed blokes. Now why on earth men would be running down lanes in starkers is up to anybody’s guess but Guinness Australasia’s Marketing Director Nick Stabback believes that Australians can instinctively relate to this ad. Ah, really?

Prost, Obersudsmeister

So he’s done it. In Adelaide at the Southwark Brewery (Lion Nathan), the "obersudsmeister" (head brewer) Tony Jones has come up with a traditional Bavarian style Weisse or wheat beer called White Beer which has been hailed by Australian connoisseurs as the "Gewürztraminer of ale". In typical wine-speak it is described as fruity and aromatic, yet lighter and more frivolous on the palate. Those in the know have issued the advise: "sock this down". Pardon? Bavarian wheat beers are enjoyed in dainty sips.