SABMiller plc reported on July, 31 the group's performance for the three months ended 30 June 2009.

Graham Mackay, chief executive of SABMiller, said: "Lager volumes for the quarter were level with the prior year on an organic basis (the calculation of the organic growth rates excludes the effects of acquisitions and disposals). The global economic slowdown has continued to dampen consumer demand, although the impact on volumes has varied between our markets. Across the group, revenue benefited from firm pricing in the prior year, and we continued to focus on cost efficiencies and, in certain markets, restructuring activities in order to reduce our cost base. Financial performance for the quarter was in line with our expectations.”

"In Latin America, lager volumes for the quarter were level with the prior year. In Colombia, lager volumes were 1% below the prior year, an improvement in performance compared to recent quarters reflecting some easing in economic conditions, an expansion of pre-selling activities and penetration of our premium brands. We achieved a substantial further gain in our share of the alcohol market versus the prior year. In Peru, we grew market share through successful portfolio management, with lager volumes 1% ...More Info

Asahi Breweries Ltd., Japan’s top- selling beer maker, announced on July, 31 that its first-half profit rose 17 percent to , helped by the sale of a stake in a Chinese beverage venture.

Net income was 22.1 billion yen ($232 million) for the six months ended June 30 from 18.9 billion yen a year earlier, the company said. Sales gained 0.6 percent to 670 billion yen.

Asahi, which may lose its position as Japan’s top beer seller to Kirin Holdings Co. this year, is speeding up expansion abroad to offset falling beer sales at home. Asahi’s domestic shipments of Super Dry and other beers slipped 1.3 percent in the first half.

“It’s hard for food and drink companies to survive just in a country where the population is shrinking,” said Koichi Ogawa, chief portfolio manager at Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. in Tokyo, which manages $28 billion. “Asahi and other companies should go overseas for growth even as competition abroad intensifies.”

The Tokyo-based company will face increased competition if Kirin and Suntory Holdings Ltd. receive regulatory approval to proceed with a planned merger that would create a beer maker with half the domestic market.

Asahi cut its estimate for full-year operating profit ...More Info

The Belgian families that share a 46 percent stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev have no plans to reduce their interest beyond certain sales to cover loans, Reuters cited Belgian magazine Trends on July, 29.

Trends said a "leading" member of one of the families had told it that the families did not wish to reduce their stakes. It did not identify the person.

The person wished to counter media speculation earlier this month that the families were planning a fundamental change, the magazine said.

The Belgian and Brazilian families controlling AB InBev had sought to avoid any dilution of their interests at the time of its $9.8 billion capital increase in November, and taken out loans to cover the required payments.

They had this month sold shares to cover the loans.

The Brazilian holding BRC sold 253 million euros ($358 million) of shares in June and Belgian vehicle Patrinvest 54.3 million euros worth of shares in July, according to the market regulator CBFA's website.

After November's capital increase, the controlling vehicle Stichting AK, combining Belgian and Brazilian interests, had a 46 percent stake in AB InBev, from 52 percent before. The free float rose to 43 percent from 30 percent before.

InBev bought its U.S. rival Anheuser-Bush last ...More Info

Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Bhd’s share price jumped 26 sen, or 6%, on July, 30 to a high of RM4.50 – its highest in almost two years – on positive reactions to the company’s acquisition of Carlsberg Singapore, the Star posted on July, 31.

This week, Carlsberg Malaysia announced that it had entered into a memorandum of understanding with its holding company Carlsberg Breweries A/S to acquire the entire equity interest in Carlsberg Singapore Pte Ltd for RM370 mln cash.

The acquisition has been estimated to boost the company’s net profit by some RM37 mln or nearly 50% in financial year ending Dec 31, 2010 (FY10).

Analysts said investors were bullish on Carlsberg Malaysia due to the potential earnings boost from its Singaporean operation as it could be translated into higher dividends for shareholders.

Credit Suisse upgraded Carlsberg Malaysia to “outperform” from “underperform”, saying the transaction offered significant upside potential to future earnings and allowed the company to diversify geographically.

Credit Suisse said taking into account the contribution from Carlsberg Singapore and potential merger synergies, there could be a 47% upside potential for Carlsberg Malaysia’s FY10 net profit.

AmResearch said besides additional earnings estimated at RM24 mln per annum from manufacturing and distribution of Carlsberg products in ...More Info

Molson Coors had a great run off of the bottom, but things are still looking up for the brewer, Forbes posted on July, 30.

With the stock market on a sugar high and headwinds still brewing around the economy, it's time to crack open a few beer stocks.

Earnings for beer makers typically fill up during the peak summer season, and favorable comparables may put the wind at the backs of brewers. Consumers are choosing to stay at home more as they curtail their spending habits. With unemployment set to breach 10%, many more could have plenty of time to kick back with a cold one.

Less expensive brands like Coors and Budweiser try to lure cost-conscious shoppers to capture market share from slightly more expensive brands such as Guinness, Corona and Heineken. Anheuser-Busch, the self-titled "King of Beers" and maker of Budweiser, became an even bigger powerhouse after being purchased by Belgian-based InBev last year. The acquisition left the highly profitable U.S. mass beer market without a home team.

The Molson Coors Brewing Company is planning on brewing a U.S. comeback. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, and Denver, Colo., Molson Coors features two flagship brands, Molson and Coors, as well as Killians, Blue Moon ...More Info

Beer consumption in Hungary has fallen steadily for about two years and looks set to drop to an annual 68 - 67 litres per capita by the end of 2009 from 71 litres a year earlier, Hungarian Brewers Association Chairman Imre Sivó was quoted as saying by Budapest Business Journal on July, 30.

Market research data shows beer consumption fell 7% between 2007 and 2008, Sivó said. “Optimistic” estimates for 2009 put the decline at 5%, he added.

The decline is most obvious among premium and Hungarian brands, while consumption of cheap, low-quality beer remains stable.

Mr Sivó blamed the drop in consumption on higher prices, which brewers had to raise because of higher taxes.

The tax content of a bottle of beer is about HUF 60 in Hungary, more than twice the HUF 25-30 European average.

Hungary's brewing industry has been loss-making since the second half of 2007. It racked up losses of HUF 1.5 billion in 2008 and HUF 3 billion in 2009.

Hungary's beer industry is worth a net annual HUF 140 billion, of which HUF 55 billion goes to the state.

The Canadian Wheat Board summed up the results of the crop year ending July, 31 a day earlier.

CWB president and CEO Ian White said the 2008-09 crop year was marked by record bulk exports of Prairie malting barley (1.5 mln tonnes) at record prices for producers.

"The strength and stability of the Canadian grain industry has been a bright spot in the gloomy economic environment over the past year," White said at the CWB's annual crop year-end news conference. The CWB exported about 18.5 million tonnes (MT) of wheat, durum and barley during the crop year, the highest volume since 1999-2000 and up over a million tonnes from last year. CWB net revenue, returned directly to farmers, is estimated at more than C$6 billion – second only to last year's C$7.2 billion.

However, CWB board chair Larry Hill cautioned that poor weather across the Prairies continues to create concern for the 2009 crop. "Looking ahead, it is now quite certain that drought and cold weather will take a toll," said Hill, who farms near Swift Current, SK. "We will need near-perfect weather for the rest of the growing season and into the fall to preserve the quality of this year's crop."

Market volatility ...More Info

The EU malting barley market is still as the buyers are waiting for even lower prices, La Depeche communicated on July, 31.

Malting barley prices have decreased significantly influenced by the big spring barley crop in France. The number of deals on malting barley is still very limited as buyers are looking forward to an even more significant drop in prices.

Poreda Aleksander, Antkiewicz Piotr, Tuszynski Tadeusz and Malgorzata Makarewicz

Abstract:
J. Inst. Brew. 115(1), 78–83, 2009 Magnesium, zinc and calcium are the elements that are involved in the regulation of metabolic activity of yeast and/or other processes such as flocculation and cell division. The requirements for specific ions may be subject to changes in successive fermentations performed by the same biomass. The aim of this work was to analyze the changes in calcium, magnesium and zinc concentration in malt broth (9°P) and in the yeast over four successive fermentations. For all ionic species analysed, the qualitative uptake and release patterns observed during subsequent fermentations were similar. In the lag phase of the fermentation, yeast cells accumulated the metal ions under investigation, in order to liberate them later to an extent that depended on the specific metal and fermentation number. Some differences were noted when qualitative comparison of these processes was performed. During the first fermentation with the yeast culture, the maximum content of each ion in the yeast biomass was twoto threefold higher than in the subsequent fermentations. Calcium, magnesium and zinc levels in the biomass did not exceed 1, 6 and 0.6 mg/g yeast dry weight respectively. Key words: bioaccumulation, brewer’s yeast, calcium, magnesium, metal ions, release, zinc. Load full article, 6 pages, 447 kb , PDF file