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What does a man need? If the ‘must-have’ columns in men’s magazines are to be believed, a digital camera, an MP3 music player and a mobile phone are cool gadgets for grown-up boys. However, what do you do if you already possess all of the above? You buy yourself a boys’ toy by Heineken … says Heineken! Not that there is a real need for men to have their own draught beer appliance cluttering up their kitchen top. But Heineken’s R&D department must have thought that they were on to a good idea. And male consumers have been buying these kits in droves according to Heineken’s recent corporate statement. Heineken reported that in the first half of 2006, beer volume generated by recent innovative beer systems such as DraughtKeg, BeerTender and the David draught system grew more than 30 percent, albeit from a low volume base.
Ziemann Ludwigsburg GmbH receives the Top 100 seal of approval for outstanding innovative achievements. The seal is awarded within the framework of the comparative study carried out in Germany, which bears the same name.
Franke Beverage Containers expands its North American operations by acquiring the beer keg production activities of Spartanburg Stainless Products, Inc., South Carolina, USA. For many years the North American keg market has been successfully served by Franke Beverage Containers through its sales office in California with keg deliveries from its European production facility in Kreuztal, Germany.
You know how it is with those pre-election promises: they are often broken. Still, drinks companies are hopeful that Sweden’s new Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt may own up to his words and allow the multi-billion dollar sale of Vin & Sprit (V&S), the owner of Absolut vodka, to go ahead within the next twelve months. V&S is owned by the Swedish government, which has always been steadfast in its refusal to sell.
According to MAGB (Maltsters Association of Great Britain) Chairman David Wilkes the UK has a window of opportunity to establish a sustainable supply of malt for the future. However, growers, maltsters and brewers need to work together to ensure that this happens. Delivering his Chairman’s statement at the MAGB annual lunch today, Mr. Wilkes explained the major changes to the industry which have led to a much more balanced market.
The plan is not just to increase market share and take volume away from competitors. SABMiller also hopes to benefit from a rise in per capita consumption of beer to 90 litres from presently 82 litres. All eyes are now on Mark Bowman to reach these goals.
Once upon a time in Bohemia, people marched on May Day, Skoda automobiles were small, and managers had to agree with Soviet occupation if they wanted to keep their jobs, writes Lyle Frink from Prague. And for Prague citizens, there was Prague Breweries, a combination of three local breweries – Branik, Staropramen, and Holesovice.
Compared to the excellent harvest last year, the calculations of the HVG are for a reduction of alpha acid quantity of almost 1000 tons in Germany. Added to that, the harvest in all other European countries was relatively weak, too. In the USA, the harvest has been good, but part of it was destroyed in a warehouse fire.
As early as the 2006/07 financial year, Pernod Ricard will benefit from the full EUR 270 million expected synergies in structure costs. That is a year earlier than initially planned.
On a request by EU Governments, the Commission proposes to increase the minimum beer tax by 31 %. Europe’s brewers are concerned that this move will directly affect consumer prices in 9 European countries, including Germany, Luxembourg or the Czech Republic, and they do not believe that it is the solution to problems identified in a previous Commission report.
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BRAUWELT on tour
Most Read
BRAUWELT on tour
