Europe

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Our primary brewing operations cover eight countries - the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain (Canary Islands) and the Netherlands. In the majority of these countries, we are the number one or two brewer by market share. A further 16 countries including Russia, Turkey and the Ukraine are covered in a strategic alliance with Anadolu Efes through either brewing, soft drinks or export operations. We export significant volumes to a further eight European markets, of which the largest are the UK and Germany.

Regional office: Zug, Switzerland.

Quarterly divisional seminar

September 2010

Hosted by Alan Clark, Managing Director, SABMiller Europe

Download European seminar PDF (9.82Mb)

Sue Clark
Managing Director,
SABMiller Europe

View Sue Clark's full profile

Vital statistics

1993: Year of investment
836¹: EBITA (US$m)
17²: Total number of breweries
14,095³: Total average number of employees

For year ended 31 March 2012 - includes share of results of associates and JVs.
Figures relate to subsidiaries only
Average for year ended 31 March 2012 - subsidiaries only.

Total volumes sold (hl 000)

43,951: Lager
533: Soft drinks

Careers: Search and apply for vacancies in Europe Regional Head Office

Our economic contribution

Find out about the contribution made by SABMiller to the European economy.

Download our Contribution to the European Economy report PDF (3.92Mb)

Current operations

Brewing operations

Key import operations

Brand portfolio

See more about our brands

Key brands

History 1993-2011

1993: Hungary's largest brewery, Dreher, is acquired in beachhead move into central Europe.
1995: SAB acquires a majority stake in Lech Browary Wielkopolski S.A. based in Poznan, Poland.

1996

SAB purchases Browary Tyskie Górny Slask S.A.

SAB enters the Romanian market with the purchase of the Vultural, Ursus and Pitber breweries.

1997

SAB acquires a majority interest in Pivovar Saris in Slovakia.

1998: SAB acquires the partially completed Kaluga Brewery, 112 miles southwest of Moscow.
1999: SAB acquires the controlling interest in Pilsner Urquell and Radegast, the leading brewers in the Czech Republic.

1999: Kompania Piwowarska S.A. is formed following the merger of Lech and Browary Tyskie Górny Slask S.A. in Tyche.
2001: SAB acquires a controlling 83.7% interest in Bere Timisoreana S.A. in Romania.

2003

Kompania Piwowarska acquires a 98.8% equity interest in Browar Dojlidy in Bialystok.

SABMiller makes its first significant investment in Western Europe through key Italian market by acquiring a majority interest in Birra Peroni S.p.A.

2005: SABMiller announces the acquisition of the Topvar brewery in Slovakia.
2007: SABMiller’s Russian operation announces US$170 million in the construction of a new brewery east of Moscow.

2008

SABMiller completes the acquisition of Koninklijke Grolsch N.V.

SABMiller enters the Ukrainian beer market through the acquisition of Sarmat and further expands its Russian operations with the acquisition of Vladpivo in Vladivostok.

2009

SABMiller's Romanian subsidiary, Ursus Breweries, acquires a 71% interest in the Romanian brewer Bere Azuga.

SABMiller acquires the remaining minority interest in its Polish subsidiary Kompania Piwowarska.

2010: SABMiller launches Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell in the Netherlands. Grolsch is launched in Romania and Kozel in the UK.

2011

SABMiller opens new £3 million research brewery in the UK.

In October 2011, we announced a strategic alliance with Anadolu Efes which includes brewing and Coca Cola bottling operations in Turkey, Russia, the CIS, Central Asia and the Middle East.

News

Alcohol responsibility

Digitally promoting alcohol responsibility

Dreher Breweries has a well-established Alcohol Responsibility Programme which aims to initiate dialogue on responsible alcohol consumption among Hungarian adults, the government and NGOs.

Read the Digitally promoting alcohol responsibility alcohol responsibility case study

Sustainable development

Reducing emissions in and outside the brewery

Our brewmasters in the Czech Republic are dedicated to maintaining the integrity of Pilsner Urquell, the original pilsner beer first brewed in 1842. With no compromise on the quality and provenance of Czech brewing, we have introduced a range of energy saving measures to reduce carbon emissions across Plzenský Prazdroj.

Read the Reducing emissions in and outside the brewery sustainable development case study