Denmark’s Royal Unibrew rumoured to buy brewery in Italy

Denmark | According to industry rumour, Denmark’s multi-beverage company Royal Unibrew seeks to strengthen its position on the Italian market by localising its production through the acquisition of a brewery in San Giorgio di Nogaro (Udine) currently owned by Birra Castello.

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Norfolk brewer changes White Face beer name to avoid offence

United Kingdom | Seems like anyone and everyone is afraid of offending anyone and everyone: A brewery decided to change the name of an award-winning beer, which was inspired by the name of a hare, after racism concerns.

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Founders Brewing abruptly closes Detroit taproom following new racial discrimination lawsuit

USA | Michigan’s largest craft brewer, Founders, closed its Detroit taproom for good - making the announcement on 1 May and just hours after a former worker filed a new racial discrimination complaint against the company.

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Russian police raid fake Johnnie Walker bottling plant

Russia | Russian police busted an illegal plant bottling counterfeit Johnnie Walker as well as other whisky, rum, and cognac brands outside Moscow. Apparently, the booze they found was unsafe to drink.

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Carlsberg fined EUR 50 million in Germany over collusion

Germany | Danish brewer Carlsberg agreed to a EUR 50 million (USD 55 million) settlement with German authorities over its alleged involvement in price fixing between 2006 and 2008.

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Carlsberg first quarter 2023: brewer lifts profit guidance on strong sales in China

Denmark | Carlsberg said on 27 April that the first quarter of the year showed a strong improvement in revenue per hl, covering the significant increase in its cost base.

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It is “too early” to assess any potential Bud Light backlash, AB-InBev’s CEO says

Belgium | AB-InBev’s CEO Michel Doukeris addressed the Bud Light controversy during the company’s first quarter 2023 earnings call on 5 May. He said it is “too early to have a full view” of the impact of sponsoring an Instagram post by transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

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Anheuser-Busch makes leadership changes following the Bud Light controversy

USA | After the transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney promoted the beer on Instagram on 1 April, well-known American conservatives called for a boycott. Two executives at Anheuser-Busch, a unit of AB-InBev, have since taken a leave of absence.

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Carlsberg probes claims of ties to Myanmar junta

Myanmar | Kirin will be glad it exited its local brewery joint venture with a military-linked partner in 2022: Because human rights activists have since stepped up their efforts to call out international brewers still operating in the country over the military’s human rights abuses.

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Oktoberfest Blumenau sponsorship auction turns into spat between Heineken and AmBev

Brazil | A bidding that will determine, who will become the official beer sponsor of Oktoberfest Blumenau, had to be repeated after Heineken contested AmBev’s win. The contract is to run from 2023 until 2029.

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Dutch inspectors clash with Heineken and Grolsch for not implementing deposit on cans by deadline

Netherlands | As of 1 April, the Netherlands has expanded its national deposit return system for beverage containers to now include aluminium and steel cans. Eligible cans have a deposit of EUR 0.15 (USD 0.17).

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Heineken to build new brewery and malting plant in South Africa

South Africa | Heineken has pledged major capital investment in South Africa, including the construction of a new brewery and a malting plant.

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Sven Thieme pockets some USD 55 million from Namibia Breweries’ dividend payout

Namibia | The Namibian businessman Sven Thieme, 55, has resigned from the board of Namibia Breweries, following Heineken officially taking control of the local beer market leader on 14 April.

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Envirogen completes new water treatment project for Vrumona

State-of-the-art | A new state-of-the-art activated carbon water treatment plant for Vrumona, one of largest soft drinks companies in the Netherlands and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Heineken, has been completed by Envirogen Group.

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Heineken’s first quarter beer sales weaker than expected

Netherlands | Heineken reported a steeper than expected decline in first-quarter beer sales, with weaker volumes recorded in all regions except the Americas. But it maintained its forecast for profit growth by a mid- to high- single-digit percentage in 2023.

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Krones acquires Ampco Pumps

Major step | On 20th of April 2023, Krones has signed an agreement to acquire 90 % of Ampco Pumps Company LLC (Ampco Pumps), thereby expanding its capabilities in process technology. Based in Wisconsin, USA, Ampco Pumps is supplying sanitary pumps and applied products like mixing and blending equipment to the food, beverage, dairy processing, personal care and pharmaceuticals markets. The company has more than 70 year history in the pump market and is a key player for sanitary pumps in the US food and beverage market.

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Constellation Brands books impairment charge on craft beer

USA | What more evidence do we need that corporate craft beer brands are struggling? Constellation Brands recorded an impairment charge of USD 66.5 million pertaining to what is left of its craft beer division in its fiscal year 2023 fourth quarter. This was reported by the website brewbound.com on 12 April.

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Is hard seltzer a ‘beer’? Jury says “yes” in Corona case

USA | In a case that revolved around the definition of “beer”, a federal jury ruled that the third-ranking US brewer, Constellation Brands, can continue to sell Corona and Modelo hard seltzers in the United States.

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Absolut Vodka halts exports to Russia after backlash

Sweden | Too clever by half, Pernod Ricard was forced to stop exporting its Absolut Vodka to Russia after a backlash in its home country, Sweden. The company had ceased exports in March 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, but had recently resumed them.

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Heineken may face blacklist and boycott by retailers in Brazil

Brazil | Before its investors have nervous fit over Heineken being put on a blacklist in Brazil, the Dutch brewer issued a statement saying that it is not experiencing a boycott.

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Heineken has found buyer for Russian business but will not say who it is

Russia | The Dutch brewer has found a buyer for its business in Russia, the company said on 19 April. Heineken is currently expecting an approval from the Russian government.

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Molson Coors launches Barmen 1873 Bourbon

USA | Molson Coors has continued its foray into the whiskey category with the release of its first bourbon, Barmen 1873 Bourbon, in April. The initial roll out covers 13 US states, and the suggested retail price is around USD 40 per bottle.

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Bud Light sent some beers to a trans influencer and all hell broke loose

USA | After Dylan Mulvaney promoted the beer on the internet, well-known US conservatives tried to start a boycott. Will the controversy hurt Bud Light in the long run?

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Krones.digital is growing internationally

India | When Krones.digital was created in 2022, Krones blazed a new trail in terms of collaboration: within a matrix organisational structure, team members around the world work together in community to develop solutions for digitally innovative, automated production. The new India facility in Bengaluru was inaugurated at the beginning of April 2023.

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Guinness closes Baltimore brewery with the loss of 100 jobs

USA | Only five years after it opened, the Guinness Open Gate Brewery outside of Baltimore, Maryland, will cease its brewing operations and lay off some 100 workers.

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Lion and Asahi purge their Australian portfolios and shutter craft breweries

Australia | Kirin’s subsidiary Lion, the number two brewer in Australia, decided to close its Tiny Mountain taproom and microbrewery and discontinue the brand altogether.

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Here comes another Mediterranean lager: Asahi launches Peroni Nastro Azzurro Stile Capri

Italy | Folks at Asahi seem to have a thing about the Gulf of Naples and the island of Capri. Best known for its sublime natural beauty and fashionable Capri pants, Asahi is now promising us a Capri-style beer. From April, Peroni Nastro Azzurro Stile Capri will be launched in Hungary, Italy, Romania, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

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Combining module type packages with a “digital twin”

Digital transformation | The construction of a new production facility poses increasingly greater challenges for the international brewing and beverage industry. To name just a few factors: Its flexibility must be ever greater, it must consume fewer and fewer resources and raw materials and its time to market must be as short as possible. Against this background, Ziemann Holvrieka GmbH is breaking new ground in the realization of a turnkey project. In this case, standardization and digitalization are of central importance.

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Pioneering work in the field and in the kiln: micromalting in the USA

Quality and innovation | Sugar Creek Malt is an outstanding example of a craft malting facility where the maltsters are resolved to make a product exhibiting true value through a combination of stamina and conviction. BRAUWELT author Sylvia Kopp visited the micro-malthouse in the US state of Indiana where she met the founder who is as down-to-earth as he is creative. In the eight years of its existence, the malthouse has enriched the brewing industry with its innovative approach.

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Bud Light angers conservative customers after partnering with transgender TikTok star

USA | For decades, Bud Light has enjoyed the reputation as the beer of choice for regular Joes. But AB-InBev's decision to partner with transgender TikTok personality Dylan Mulvaney to attract younger drinkers has infuriated some of the brand's most loyal, more conservative customers.