Brewery under new ownership

The Danish brewery Royal Unibrew has acquired controlling interest in St Vincent Brewery Limited after they shelled out US$9.3 million to purchase 52 percent of the company, taking their share to 76 per cent.{{more}}

The acquisition of St Vincent Brewery Ltd will win Royal Unibrew the leading position in the market, strengthening the group’s overall position in the region.

Royal Unibrew had previously acquired the Antiguan and Dominican breweries and also has distribution groups in French territories Guadeloupe and Martinique.

At a brief news conference on Wednesday, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the St. Vincent Brewery Ltd Chresten Christensen said that Royal Unibrew is excited about the prospect of the regional market and is looking to setting up a head office in Puerto Rico to manage business in the region.

He also said that his company’s acquisition would not trigger any major shake up in operations as he expects the management team to continue the job they are doing.

Christensen also said that consumers can be on the look out for new products like Vita Malt Light, which he says is on the horizon.

The new chairman said that as his company takes controlling interest in St Vincent Brewery, doors will be opened to talented employees to be trained and get opportunities for advancement in the Royal Unibrew family.

“We have a talent search programme where special persons are spotted and singled out for training opportunities and now those in St Vincent will also benefit from this programme,” Christensen said.

He told SEARCHLIGHT that while the goal of this programme is to train persons to serve in their own countries, there will be opportunities for such persons to go abroad to work in one of the many breweries the company owns worldwide.

Royal Unibrew first made its entry on the local market in the 1970s with its Ceres malt (now Vita Malt).

Royal Unibrew has been in business over 150 years and is the Scandinavia’s second largest brewery business and largest beer exporter.

Its Vitamalt is the world’s third largest malt drink brand.

The other shareholders in St. Vincent Brewery Ltd are Diageo (the parent company of Guinness), Henry Barth & Sons and locals. (KJ)