The European Brewery Convention (EBC) is pleased to announce its report “EBC – two years variety summary for 2004 and 2005; Spring Barley”.

The market development in the region initiated SABMiller to replace a 1.3 million hl brewing plant of Cervecería del Valle, at the Yumbo site in Columbia, with a completely new plant achieving a much higher efficiency. The turnkey plant is being erected as a greenfield project and will meet all the requirements of world class manufacturing. This means: constant high quality standards and maximum efficiency with lowest expenditure of energy, virtually no impact on the environment thanks to a consistent reduction in waste material and featuring a lean operator structure.

With Fruit Up®, Wild offers the optimum sweetener for beverages with natural ingredients.

More toys for boys

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 under Germany’s most innovative Top 100

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 acquires keg business from Spartanburg Stainless Products Inc., USA

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.

New government may consider the sale of Absolut

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.

Returns for Maltsters and Growers to Improve as Market Balance is Restored

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.

SABMiller aims at 40 percent of Polish beer 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.

InBev closes Branik brewery

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.