Beer
The girls from Parramatta
Jedes Jahr fahren ungefaehr 150.000 deutsch sprechende Reisende nach Australien. Diese Zahl hat sich trotz Global Financial Crisis kaum verändert. Australien – das ist nach wie vor das Traumland der Deutschen und nach sechs Jahren Down Under kann ich das nur bestätigen.
Damit nun der Gast aus Passau, Augsburg oder München nicht gar zu sehr seine heimatlichen Trinkgewohnheiten vermisst, haben in Sydney ein paar clevere Menschen eine Serie an bayuwarisch anmutenden Kneipen (hier Cafes genannt) aufgebaut. Die bekannntesten sind wohl das Löwenbräu in ‘The Rocks’ und auf der George street inmitten der Bankencity das Bavarian Beer Cafe.
Jenes hat seit einem guten Jahr im Westen Sydney’s eine gleichnamige Schwesterkneipe, das Bavarian Beer Cafe in Parramatta. Von hier stammen die beiden Photos, denn ich kam nicht umhin, gestern schnell einmal hineinzuschauen und mir ein kühles Helles (gezapft versteht sich) zu gönnen.
Also: wem’s nach guter deutscher Braukunst dürstet – der kann jetzt auch in den westlichen Vororten Löwenbräu oder Paulaner zu sich nehmen. Hier werden Sie dann als einer der wenigen Touristen mehr unter den ‘locals’ sitzen. Wohl bekomm’s.
________________________________________________________________
German beer culture and the Bavarian Oktoberfest are truly celebrated here down under. I came across a less touristy Bavarian Beer Cafe in Sydney’s Parramatta. The girls from Parramatta – I have this Pre-School song of my children in mind – the girls frequenting the Cafe in Parramatta weren’t singing this verse though.
Michael Brecht
Beer advertising in Australia – this is how it works
I came across this interesting video from ABC’s The Gruen Transfer on beer advertising Down Under. These guys certainly make it enjoyable and informative at the same time. Have a look:
Das Video ist ein klasse Zusammenschnitt über die Geheimnisse der Bierwerbung hier in Australien. Sollten sie einmal in Australien gewesen sein, so werden sie bestimmt den ein oder anderen spot wieder erkennen.
Viel Spass dabei.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Irish and Aussies share the bar in Munich
Wenn es ums trinken geht, so sind sowohl die Iren als auch die Aussies bekannt für ihr enormes Stehvermögen an der Theke.
In München finden wir diese beiden Nationen vereint in einem Pub am Frauenplatz, direkt hinter dem Dom. Völkerverständigung im Pub – eine wirklich gelungene Idee und aus meiner Sicht auch eine wunderbare Kombination.
Irish and Aussie Bar in Munich
The Irish Kilian and our own Ned Kelly share a pub in Munich’s CBD. Right next to the Dome at the Frauenplatz you’ll find this place – I suspect more beer than wine sales happening at this place. But still, a great combination.
Michael Brecht
Foster’s forms Joint Venture to get rid of smaller wine brands
If you can’t sell them, you have to find a different solution. And this is what Australian beer and wine giant Foster’s has just done with the smaller end of its wine business.
Foster's Headoffice in Melbourne
David Dearie, Managing Director, Wine Australia and New Zealand today announced Foster’s intention to transfer 13 Australian wine brands to a joint venture with Vok Beverages Pty Ltd (Vok Beverages). Foster’s will hold a 50% interest in the joint venture company.
But who is Vok Beverages? They claim to be the exclusive Australian distributor for a number of Diageo brands which include Ruski, Bullet Bourbon, J&B Whisky, Dimple or Pimms. The company also distributes a range of proprietary brands such as Three Oaks Cider, Infused Rush, HI NRG, VOK Liqueurs and Bickford’s non alcoholic cordials.
So, in the future, these guys will assume responsibility for the marketing, sales and management of the thirteen former Foster’s wine brands as early as from the 1st of December 2009.
The brands to be transferred to the joint venture are Queen Adelaide, Half Mile Creek, Minchinbury, Matthew Lang, Andrew Garrett, Maglieri of McLaren Vale, Rouge Homme, Great Western, Cartwheel, Fishers Circle, Galway Pipe, Boronia and Yarra Ridge. Foster’s intends to continue to produce wine for the joint venture and celebrates this strategic move by stating: “this joint venture allows Foster’s to focus on wine making, distribution and marketing of its core portfolio.” The thirteen brands above now know at least, that they are not considered ‘core’ any more.
___________________________________________________
Der australische Bier und Weingigant Foster’s hat heute bekannt gegeben, dass er 13 seiner kleineren Marken in ein neues Joint Venture mit Vok Beverages ausgliedern moechte. Dieses ist ein weiterer Schritt auf dem langen Weg, das Weingeschäft fuer Foster’s wieder in profitablere Bahnen zu lenken.
In seinem letzten Geschäftsjahr hat Foster’s bereits mehr als $278 Millionen im Weinsegment abgeschrieben. Das Biergeschäft hingegen läuft weiterhin vorzüglich für Foster’s.
Happy Diwali to our Indian subscribers
Downunder Wines has gained a significant subscriber base in India over the past years. And today it is time to wish all of you a happy Diwali.
According to the Hindu calendar, ‘No Moon Day’ is considered best day for celebrating Diwali. Diwali falls either in the month of October or November according to the English calendar. The festival holds an imperative meaning since the festival is reckoned with Lord Ram’s return to Ayodha after spending 14 years exile. Diwas, or small oil lights or candles are lit as a symbol of the victory of light over darkness, and fireworks are also set off in celebration. The Diwali starts this Thursday by celebrating Dhanteras – a day on which the business community perform rituals to get blessings from the goddess of wealth Lakshmi, followed by Kalichaudas and then by Diwali.
The next day of Diwali marks the commencement of the New Year.
Though a bit sad for us at Downunder Wines that the various regional groups celebrate Diwali in different ways such as abstaining from alcohol, we really love the idea of this peaceful highlight. Diwali is a time of the year when families, friends and communities come together in a spirit of celebration and joy.
In Australia, at least SBS Television appreciates our many Indian immigrants by showing ‘Om Shanti Om’ tonight, I am watching it right now while writing this post. My colleagues at ZaaBiz know ‘Om Shanti Om’ very well, this is the first CD I ever bought in India on one of my many trips there.
Kingfisher Beer in Mumbai
I also brought with me from these trips the knowlegde that in Mumbai, a good Kingfisher beer beats most of the Indian wines I tasted. Time for India to awake to the taste of Australian wines – this vast country is ready for it – I am sure. Happy Diwali.
___________________________
Happy Diwali für alle unsere indischen subscriber – davon haben wir bereits mehrere Hundert an Bord. Auch wenn Diwali in Indien ohne Alkohol gefeiert wird, so sind wir dennoch davon überzeugt, dass australische Weine bald diesen grossen Markt erobert haben.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Durst ist schlimmer als Heimweh – drinking beer in Bavaria
Meine Reise durch Europa fuehrt mich nach Bayern – hier trinkt man Bier. Auch wenn dieses ein Weinblog ist, so müssen wir die ein oder andere Botschaft aus Kultstätten des Gerstensaftes gelten lassen.
Die nachfolgende Botschaft an einer Wirtshausdecke in München fand ich sehr zutreffend fuer meine Abwesenheit von zu Hause – von daher habe ich mir umgehend eine Mass gegönnt.
Bavarian Beer helps when homesick
Being away from home is terrible: the photo shows a Bavarian answer to this dilemma: they claim that being thirsty is actually worse than being homesick. And we are talking real beer – not the brew Australian giant Foster’s wants us to drink. The beer here in Munich helps forget being homesick.
Michael Brecht
No news on which Foster’s wine brands will be chopped – yet
Last week’s announcement of Australian bewerage giant to keep the wine business but separate it from its beer and spirits sections was the big news for anybody involved in wine making here down under.
Going seperate ways: Foster's beer and wine
Foster’s announced that they would get rid of 37 brands. Its portfolio includes brands such as Penfolds, Beringer, Lindemans, Wolf Blass, Rosemount, Matua Valley, Wynns Coonawarrra Estate and Castello di Gabbiano. There is huge speculation on where Foster’s will start to chop, it is for sure though, that they will aim to better follow current trends in the Australian wine market: more variety and less heavy Reds. Let’s wait and see.
_________________________________________________________________________
Die Foster’s Gruppe laesst sich Zeit: in der vergangenen Woche wurden massive Umbaumassnahmen angekuendigt, allein welche Marken der Konzern zukuenftig aus dem Programm streicht ist noch nicht bekannt. Wir werden sie umgehend informieren, sobald wir Naeheres wissen.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Fosters: restructure, breakup and sell-off to help shareholder value – but is this enough?
Facts first: the Australian beer and wine giant has today announced to retain its wine business. Since evaluating its options with the departure of its former CEO Trevor Hoy last year, the business community was speculating whether or not the wine business could be history in Fosters liquor empire.
Instead of sealing its fate, the Fosters Group today announced major changes to their wine business itself:
- 36 ‘non-core’ vineyards will be sold,
- 37 Fosters owned ‘tail’ brands will be sold or discontinued,
- 3 wineries in Australia and California will either be closed, reconfigured or consolidated, and
- the Group expects to book total asset writedowns and restructuring charges between $330 million and $415 million in the second half of this 2008/09 financial year.
So let us look behind the scenes and explain why they are doing it:
Firstly the decision to keep the wine business was heavily influenced by external factors: “The current difficult conditions in debt and equity markets mean this is not the appropriate time to sell or de-merge Foster’s Wine business,” Fosters Chairman Crawford said today in his address to the media. Point taken, it doesn’t help presenting your wine business to potential buyers in an economic climate like ours today. So the Fosters management didn’t have a real chance and now has to make the best out of it.
Secondly: Foster’s management seems to understand the signs of the times, let me give you some examples:
I am a former (tiny) shareholder in Fosters and I still receive their newsletters in print to my post office box, although I told them in several of their frequent sales calls that they should better take me of their list. But hey: this is fun – as it gives me exposure to some of the best trained telephone sales people the wine industry has on offer.
But then I open the mail and I am confused: so many brands, so much Shiraz and Cabernet, but so little variety: I have in the past simply questioned Fosters capacity to market what today’s wine drinkers really like, its management still living in an Australian wine climate of 10 years ago. The reshaping of its brands will change this.
Another major lesson learned is the fact that wine and beer just don’t sell well together: the multi beverage model Fosters was pursuing never worked and now is officially called dead. Its Australian wine and its beer, cider and spirits divisions will be structurally separated. I still smile at the idea of having a Fosters/Southcorp sales rep try to convince the average retailer in Wagga to buy one of their 47 wine brands, while the consumer was mainly connecting the Fosters brand with beer.
So there is good news and bad news in today’s announcement for the 7,000 other Australian winemakers: the bad news is that Fosters management has woken up and will stick to its portfolio – they have the deep pockets to finance this change and profits from its beer and spirit business will help turn around their wine story. The only good news in this is that it will take some time for the giant to make it happen.
Valuable time I will take and open another bottle from one of the many fine smaller Boutique wineries here in Australia.
____________________________________________________________________
Die Fosters Gruppe hat heute einschneidende Veraenderungen fuer ihre Struktur beschlossen. Nachdem in den letzten Monaten so ziemlich jede strategische Variante fuer oder gegen den Verbleib der Weinsparte im Konzern diskutiert wurde, hat heute Chairman Crawford verkuendet, dass die Weinsparte an Bord bleibt. Basta!
Allerdings werden innerhalb der Weinsparte massive Veraenderungen vollzogen:
- 36 Weinberge werden verkauft
- 37 Marken im Rahmen der Fosters/Southcorp Weine werden abgegeben
- 3 Wineries in Australien und Kalifornien werden geschlossen oder konsolidiert
Das Ganze fuehrt zu Umstrukturierungskosten in Hoehe von 330-415 Million AUD.
Wir werden diese Vorgaenge in den naechsten Tagen weiter analysieren und Sie auf dem Laufenden halten.
Ihr Michael Brecht
