During the year under review various new products were
launched, such as '1994', Kylian, Master, Amstel Legend and
Primus Spéciale. We also continued our policy of selling our
successful brands in other markets, too.
Beer
Soft drinks
Spirits and wine
Other income
The expansion of our interests during the year under review
was mainly achieved in the Far East. In that region we are
seeking to strengthen our position as beer consumption is
expected to continue growing strongly there. In mid-1993 our
joint venture Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) acquired a 40%
interest in Fujian Brewery, the biggest brewery in the Chinese
city of Fuzhou. APB also took a 35% interest in a brewery
project near Bangkok, Thailand. Finally, APB doubled its
interest in the DB group (previously Dominion Breweries) in
New Zealand to 54.7%. The newly built brewery in Ho Chi
Minh City (Vietnam) was taken into operation in the latter
part of the year.
At the end of the year under review we reached agreement in
principle on the acquisition of control of Calanda Haldengut,
the second largest Swiss brewery group. In the meantime a
definitive purchase agreement has been signed and a public
offer has been made for the remaining shares of the group.
In March 1994 agreement was reached in principle on the
acquisition of a 24.9% interest in the Polish brewery
company Zywiec S.A.
In Nigeria our minority interest Nigerian Breweries acquired
the assets of the local enterprise Diamond Breweries.
Early in 1994 we sold our 50% interest in the Bols Benelux
joint venture to Koninklijke BolsWessanen.
We wish to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to
the employees, who through their great involvement have
made an important contribution to the results achieved.
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