Carlsberg rumored to have acquired Piast beer-maker

Danish brewery Carlsberg is rumored to have bought Wroclaw's Browary Dolnoslaskie, maker of Piast beer, from businessman Ryszard Varisella. According to reports in the Gazeta Wyborcza, Varisella has admitted to holding negotiations on the sale of a 97% stake to a "definite foreign investor". But he insists that the transaction has not yet been concluded. Carlsberg representatives would neither confirm nor deny the reports. "We adhere to the rule of not commenting on gossip," said Margrethe Skov, a Carlsberg media relations executive. However, reports that the deal has been finalized have been independently confirmed by three people close to Browary Dolnoslaskie. In addition, Mayor of Wroclaw, Bogdan Zdrojewski, has said tha t he is aware of the news, but declined to give any more information. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 26) A.Z.