Browary Warszawskie to close, production to shift to Warka

The management board of Austrian Brau Union AGP has decided to withdraw from the Polish market. The immediate impact of this will result in the closure of its loss making Browary Warszawskie which produces Królewskie beer. Grupa Żywiec, the owner of BW, which have cooperated with BU since 2003, have decided to move production of the Królewskie brand to Warka. "The Warsaw brewery has no possibility to develop cannot be profitable," said Nico Nusmeier, Grupa Żywiec president. "The brewery in Warka is able increase production by about 300,000 hl of without the necessity of increasing the numbers of its staff," he added. Most of the Warsaw workers will be laid off and will be given severance packages of about zł.10,000 each. (Puls Biznesu, p. 10) A.F.