Russia | Russian liquor store chains have adopted the Starbucks strategy: they have opened outlets in suburban areas close to where shoppers live. This year, specialised liquor chains have maintained their opening rates at almost last year’s rate, the Russian newspaper Delovoy Petersburg reported on 2 November.

Ukraine | Compared with Ukraine’s GDP, which will crash by an estimated 35 percent this year, domestic beer production has fared slightly better. According to Ukrpivo, an industry body, beer output in the January-to-September period was only down 30 percent – to 9.3 million hl – year-on-year. Ukrainian beer exports decreased by 5.6 percent, while beer imports increased by nearly 7 percent and exceeded USD 72 million by value.

Czech Republic | When the three regional breweries Holba, Zubr and Litovel merged in October 2021 and created the joint-stock company Pivovary CZ Group, they sought cost savings, greater efficiency in distribution and logistics, and even a reduced tax bill. One year later, the group, which is owned by the businessman Karel Kuropata and his company HSK Invest, is in early negotiation with investors. It is even considering a sale. The talks could drag on for months, though, the group said on 3 November 2022.

Poland | If all goes to plan, Heineken will take Poland’s number two brewer, Grupa Zywiec, from the Warsaw Stock Exchange. In a transaction, announced on 18 October, the Dutch brewer acquired PLN 1.4 billion (USD 299 million) worth of shares from Harbin BV, the Dutch investment vehicle of the Australian barrister Allan Myers, 77.

Europe | Put the blame on European punters, facing a cost of living crisis, that the Big Brewers need to turn elsewhere for growth. AB-InBev, Heineken and Carlsberg reported a hike in beer sales in their third quarter results. But they had to admit that their performance could have been even better had not European sales proved lagging.

United Kingdom | It was an expensive victory for the small artisanal gin maker Bullards. It had to spend GBP 30,000 (USD 34,000) in legal fees to fend off the energy drinks behemoth Red Bull, over claims that the word “bull” in Bullards’ name could cause confusion.

Germany | As the Augsburg brewer Riegele and the Munich brewer Paulaner could not settle their dispute over who owns the name to the popular lemonade mix Spezi, a Munich court declared on 11 October that Paulaner may also call its version Spezi and not pay royalties to Riegele.

Germany | A year ago, in October 2021, Bloomberg reported that AB-InBev was seeking a buyer for its German unit, as the world’s number one brewer sought to “prune less profitable businesses and trim debt”. The asking price: USD 1.2 billion.

The Netherlands | Heineken’s cost-cutters had their way again. After Belgium’s Affligem brewery, the Brand brewery in Wijlre is the next to be shuttered. Beer production will be shifted to Heineken’s macro breweries in Zoeterwoude and Den Bosch in 2024. 48 jobs will be lost. This was announced on 26 September.

Romania | Heineken, the number two brewer in Romania, will shutter the Constanta brewery in the second half of 2023. The plant, which once produced more than 700,000 hl beer, has been operating well below capacity for years. Production will be shifted to the three remaining breweries in the group.