Serbia: Apatinska Brewery launches Czech beer

Apatinska Brewery has started producing Staropramen, the first Czech beer to be brewed in Serbia, Glas-Javnosti.rs reported on June, 17.

The initial investment is worth 5 million euros, sources said.

Staropramen is manufactured in Apatin under license from Staropramen brewery in Prague.

The first 200,000 liters of Staropramen were sheduled to hit the shelves this week. The new brand will also be exported, the company said.

Apatinska Brewery plans to invest another 10 million euros in production and about 13 million in other business activities.

In 2009, the company sold approximately 3.2 billion litres of beer, of which 2.6 billion was distributed on the Serbian market and the rest was exported.

Apatinska Brewery, located in the town of Apatin was built in 1756 and is the biggest brewery in Serbia. Its other popular products are Jelen Pivo and Pils Light.

Apatinska Brewery had been a part of the Belgian brewing giant AB InBev till 2009, when private equity fund CVC Capital Partners purchased all of AB InBev's holdings in Central Europe for €2.23 billion.

23 June, 2010