Denmark | It has been a busy year for Royal Unibrew, a mid-sized Danish multi-beverage company, serving markets in the Nordics, Baltics, Italy, Germany, and France.

Sweden | In Sweden there is only one company that is allowed to sell full strength beer, wine and spirits: Systembolaget. Actually, the state monopoly does not want to make it too easy for its compatriots to drink alcohol. But now the company is offering a nationwide delivery service for the first time.

Denmark | Perhaps Danish craft brewer Mikkeller should have followed BrewDog’s example, when it too faced accusations of sexism and a toxic culture in May this year. Like BrewDog’s CEO James Watt, Mikkeller’s founder Mikkel Borg Bjergsø should have communicated through traditional media that he was so sorry and would immediately enter into direct talks with his accusers.

Belgium | AB-InBev’s new CEO, Michel Doukeris, set the company’s first earnings target on 6 December 2021, forecasting 4 percent to 8 percent in organic growth over the next four years, based on rising beer sales and expansion into other drinks and even food.

Germany | That was swift. In November, the Munich craft brewer Crew Republic parted ways with AB-InBev after only two years and repurchased AB-InBev’s 20 percent stake in it. On 3 December 2021, the brewery’s founders, Mario Hanel and Timm Schnigula, announced they had sold a stake to Bitburger Group for an undisclosed sum.

United Kingdom | JD Wetherspoon has signed a new 20-year supply deal with AB-InBev's Budweiser Brewing Group UK&Ireland, marking the end of a four decade-long arrangement between the pubco and Heineken.

United Kingdom | The concept is hardly new. America’s largest supermarket chain Kroger began installing in-store craft beer taps in 2015 already. But supermarket group Asda will be the first in the UK to trial selling draught craft beer.

Russia | Russia’s – What was this? A flash in the pan? Mercury Retail Holding, the largest ultra-convenience store operator in Russia, announced on 26 October 2021 it would list on Moscow’s stock market. Trading would begin on 10 November. On 3 November, the offer was priced at USD 1.3 billion, which would have given it a market value of USD 12 billion to USD 13 billion.

United Kingdom | Perhaps they were too keen and eager. The UK’s largest craft brewer, BrewDog, has indicated that it will delay a planned GBP 2.1 billion (USD 2.8 billion) flotation amid turbulence in the hospitality industry.

Germany | In the first nine months of 2021, German beer sales dropped 3.9 percent to 65.6 million hl, compared with 68.2 million hl in the same period in 2020. This year’s decline could be deepening, as during the first half of 2021, German brewers sold 2.7 percent or 1.1 million hl less beer than in 2020.