Piast seeking strategic investor in 2001 to secure leading market position

Wroclaw-based Piast brewery says it wants to obtain a strategic investor by next year, thereby securing itself a dominant position among the leading brewers in Poland's fiercely competitive beer market. Piast is one of a small number of domestic breweries lacking a foreign investor from the brewing industry. Says brewery owner Ryszard Varisella, "Given the sector's ongoing consolidation and Piast's fast growth, I decided the time was right to start looking for a partner. I'll consider any investor, but those from the brewing sector will get preference." Although official talks have not yet begun, it is common knowledge that London-based ABN Amro Corporate Finance will be the adviser to the transaction. Unofficially, South African Breweries (SAB) and Danish Carlsberg are among those interested in Piast. Analysts haven't given concrete estimates on the value of the transaction, but some say even a partial takeover would be worth millions of dollars. (Puls Biznesu, p.3)