E-Malt.com newsletter - September 16

1.Trading info

Actually there is one OFFER for 3000 tons of malt and a DEMAND for 15000 tons of barley on the trading portal www.e-malt.com

2. Industry news

The construction of a new malt house has been begun by Sun Interbrew in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Sun Interbrew, a joint venture between Interbrew and Sun Brewing, is planning to spend for this construction about EUR 14 million, and expects to finish it in 2004. The company hopes to increase the production capacity of the malt house from 45,000 tonnes to 90,000 tonnes of malt per year. The company is intending to fully meet malt consumption needs at all the breweries it runs in Ukraine (Rogan, Desna and Yantar). Some of the malt produced may also be sold to other Ukrainian breweries. Sun Interbrew Ukraine is the country's biggest brewery. Its breweries produced 372m litres of beer in 2001, up 21.4% year-on-year.

The Dutch brewer Heineken has concluded an agreement with two Central American brewers to establish a strategic business alliance to further develop their business in Central America. Heineken plans to purchase 25% share in the Costa Rican brewery Florida Bedidas S.A. (FB), the main subsidiary of FIFCO, and 25% participation of FIFCO’s stake in the Nicaraguan brewery Consorcio Cervecero Centroamericano S.A. (COCECA). The acquisition will be worth around USD 229 million. The relationship between Heineken and FIFCO originates from 1986 when FIFCO started to brew Heineken beer for the Costa Rican market. Recently, FIFCO also began brewing Heineken for export in the Central American region. The volume of Costa Rican beer market is 1.3 million hl a year (35 litres per capita) and is expected to grow further. "The acquisition is another step in Heineken's drive for an optimal balance in its activities between mature and growing beer markets," Heineken said.

The third largest Canadian brewer, Sleeman Breweries Ltd., announced its intention to brew Sapporo beers for sale in the US market, according to the signed agreement with Sapporo Breweries Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) on September 12, 2002. The deal will be worth around USD 2.5 million. It will start in December 2002 and last for five years. Sleeman will need to add new brewing facilities in around three years. This agreement will contribute in excess of $2.5 million in EBITDA annually to Sleeman over the contract term. Sleeman joins Sapporo’s other international contract-brewing partners, namely Guinness for Ireland and Dafuhao for China.

The Russian brewing subsidiary of the Interbrew group, Sun Interbrew, has registered net sales of about EUR 128.1 million for the second quarter of 2002, which is up 11% from the EUR 115.4 million sales in the corresponding period last year. However, according to analysts’ forecasts, company’s net profit for the year will be down from 2001. This might happen because Sun Interbrew lost market share in the domestic beer market during the second quarter, for which the company registered a fall from EUR 8.6m to EUR 3.5m of its net profit year-to-year.....www.e-malt.com

Heineken has launched a public bid for the Egyptian brewer and drinks company, Al Ahram Beverages Company (ABC). The Egyptian Capital Market Authority made this offer public with the condition that Heineken acquires at least 76% of the shares. The offer price is USD 14 per share, resulting in a total acquisition price of USD 287 million if 100% of the shares are offered to Heineken.....www.e-malt.com

The most famous Czech beer, Pilsner Urquell, brewed since 1843 only in the West Bohemian city of Pilsen, Czechia, will be produced under license in Poland by SABMiller’s Czech subsidiary Plzenský Prazdroj.....www.e-malt.com

More news are available on site www.e-malt.com

3. Malting barley prices - all prices are nominal.

Malting barley prices, French barley prices

EURO = USD 0.9749 September 18, 2002
Crop year		2002
Parity		FOB Creil
Position		July 2002
Type	Variety	EURO		USD
2RS	Prisma	nq	nq	nq	nq
2RS	Scarlett	145.00	150.00	141.50	146.50
2RS	Aspen	144.00	149.00	140.50	145.50
2RS	Optic	143.00	148.00	139.50	144.50
2RS	Nevada	141.00	146.00	137.50	142.50
2RS	Astoria	140.00	145.00	136.50	141.50
2RS	Cork	140.00	145.00	136.50	141.50
6RW	Esterel	123.00	125.00	120.00	122.00
6RW	Maeva	nq	nq	nq	nq

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