Get one if you can

In the course of the first nine months of 2003 the St. Petersburg-based Baltika Brewery sold 12.8 million hl of beer. In this period the company’s share of the beer market in Russia reached 20.8 percent, according to a company statement. Export sales rose by 7 percent year-on-year, reaching 800,000 hl. For the second year in a row Baltika has been acknowledged by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation as the "best exporter in Russia". Last year, 85 percent of Baltika’s export volume were destined for the CIS countries, especially Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Baltic Beverages Holding (BBH) reportedly owns 74.24 percent of Baltika.

The German beverage industry in the national and international environment

On May 15, 2000, the German newspaper, "Frankfurter Allgemeine" published a much noted article concerned with the German brewing industry and written by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Lück and Dr. Axel Th. Schulte, his assistant at that time. The title was "The German brewing industry needs strong foreign business".The last paragraph of this well-informed article summarised accurately: "The often cited statement "Beer needs homeland" fits with this turn of mind and allows the conclusion to be drawn that the German brewing industry is not only suffering a sales and structure crisis, but also a crisis of meaning. In particular, I have focussed on the most important beer markets in the world, namely North America, Brasil and China. During this time, the image of German beer has gone downhill rapidly.e.

Cash injection

Warsteiner, Germany’s sixth-largest brewing group, has admitted that it has received a cash injection in the order of EUR99 million. Managing Director Gustavo Möller-Hergt confirmed that both the owner Albert Cramer and his daughter Catharina have increased the holding’s net assets by EUR99 million to EUR100 million. The money had already been given to Warsteiner as a loan but it was only recently that Cramer and his successor-to-be have waived their claims. The cash is supposed to provide Warsteiner with better ratings. Möller-Hergt refuted all allegations that Warsteiner was not doing well.

Holsten to go?

Germany’s fifth-largest brewing group Bitburger (output 5.8 m hl in 2002) and Denmark’s Carlsberg have been rumoured to be front runners in the race to buy Christian Eisenbeiss’ stake in Holsten. Should Eisenbeiss, who controls close to 50 percent of Germany’s second-largest brewing group (output 10.4 m hl in 2002), accept the EUR550 million offer, Holsten could be broken up. In that
case Carlsberg would grab the standard beer brands Astra, Holsten, Lübzer and Feldschlösschen, whereas the privately-owned Bitburger would go for the so-called premium brands König and Licher.
According to media reports, Eisenbeiss and the two buyers are very close to signing the papers.5 percent to 5.8 million hl.7 percent drop in its output in cans.3 percent to EUR90.5 million..

Brau und Brunnen to be sold - but not just yet

Quick question: "How do you bring a good company down?" Answer: "There are ways and ways." But the best way to drain a company of its combative spirit is to announce that it is on the sales block. For the better part of 2003, Michael
Hollmann, the CEO of Germany’s number 4 brewing group Brau und Brunnen (B+B), which had an output of 7.2 m hl of beer in 2002, has been in talks with potential buyers. In October alone 14 different parties sniffed around B+B’s headquarters in Dortmund. In the end they all shook their heads and said: "Thank you, but no thanks!" Surprisingly, one investor got very close to clinching a deal: the US investment group One Equity Partners (OEP). But exactly that seems to have been the problem.
One Equity Partners (OEP) is a subsidiary of Bank One..

Interbrew completes private placement

In October, Interbrew successfully completed a USD850 million private placement. The issue, which comprised tranches of 6, 7 and 10 year Senior Unsecured Notes, was placed with a group of 20 international insurance companies. Interbrew’s private placement was oversubscribed due to investor demand in excess of USD1.3 billion. In response, the original issue size of USD250 million was increased to USD850 million. The proceeds will be used to refinance existing bank debt.

BRAU Beviale 2003 - Forum for investment decisions. Return to Europe: EU enlargement opens up new markets and holds economic challenges for the beverage industry

A trend already clearly noticeable at previous exhibitions increased at BRAU Beviale 2002: Encouragingly large numbers of visitors from the Czech Republic, Russia, Poland and Hungary caused particularly the German beverage technology manufacturers - the strongly export-orientated world market leaders - to beam all over their faces. The next opportunity for the around 1,500 exhibitors and good 36,000 visitors to refresh these contacts and meet new business partners is at BRAU Beviale 2003 from 12 - 14 November in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg.

Europe has undergone fundamental changes in the past decade. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the cold war was the coup de grâce for the old geopolitical system.6 milliard EUR.5 % a year between 1998 and 2002.2 %. .. The ma.

A la Belge - Or: The resistible rise of the Belgian brewer Interbrew

Ever bigger, ever faster, ever further. The 1990s were the decade of globalisation. The thrill of a new challenge, the faith in progress and the euphoria of expansion were experienced the world over. In the brewing industry too. Between the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Millennium party the take-over merry-go-round really got going. The reason was that someone had thrown the switch: Interbrew.

Sometimes rumours and prejudices linger for longer than you would like them to. Particularly if you happen to be Belgian. The belief that life in Belgium is more laid-back is hard to dislodge from European opinion. A la Belge translates as "the Belgian way" and means more or less "let’s try it and see". This is nothing more than a paraphrase for a fatalistic laisser-faire attitude.

Concern over Miller

First the good news: SABMiller reported organic volume growth in lager beer to reach almost 4% across the group in the five-month period to 31 August 2003. In Europe, volume was up 8% thanks to a strong performance in Russia and higher sales in Czech compared to the same period last year, when sales were affected by the severe flooding.
The Africa and Asia business delivered a 3% increase in organic volume growth over the prior year despite the negative impact of SARS in China. In South Africa, beer volumes have continued to grow, and for the period to mid-September were up by 2.5% on the previous year.
Now the bad news: In North America, Miller Brewing Company volumes were down some 4. Softdrink volumes (the key driver) were down 8% due to intense local competition..

Family buys back brewery

One of Britain’s most famous breweries is returning to family hands after almost two decades of corporate ownership. Four Yorkshire brothers have taken up Scottish & Newcastle’s offer to buy back the 176-year-old Theakston brewery, located in the scenic town of Masham, North Yorkshire. Theakston, which brews the brands Old Peculier and Theakston’s XB was taken over in 1984 by brewer Matthew Brown of Blackburn which was itself then sold to S&N. While most members of the founding dynasty stayed on, Paul Theakston split off in 1992 to set up his own brewery - the appropriately named Black Sheep brewery - across the road from the old family brewery. His brewery has thrived and now employs 90 people.
For several reasons, Theakston’s did not fare well under S&N..