Carlsberg's joint venture South Asia Breweries strengthens its operations in India via the addition of two more Greenfield breweries, one in Maharashtra (West India) and one in West Bengal (East India). Both breweries are planned to commence production during Q2 this year. The brewery in Maharashtra is located in Aurangabad near Mumbai. This plant is almost identical to the greenfield plant in Rajasthan, and will have an initial licensed capacity of 500.000 hl. The brewery in West Bengal is located near Kolkata, and is part of a joint venture between South Asia Breweries (60%) and local partners from West Bengal lead by Mr. Parag Mitra and Mr. Debasis Mukherjee. This plant will have an initial capacity of 120,000 hl, however with significant possibilities for expansion. As planned, the greenfield brewery in Alwar, in Rajasthan, commenced production and deliveries in Q1 this year. The fourth brewery owned by South Asia Breweries is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh north of the Indian capital of New Delhi. This brewery launched production of Carlsberg Group brands last summer and it has a capacity of 150.000 hl with possibilities for expansion. The portfolio of the four breweries includes a number of brands from The Carlsberg Group, including Carlsberg and Okocim Palone and more brands are planned to be launched during 2008. “With four modern breweries Carlsberg and its joint venture partners have within a little more than one year established a significant platform in the Indian beer market. The Indian beer market is very small today with an annual per capita consumption of around 1 litre but it is considered one of the most promising growth markets in the world,” says Senior Vice President Jesper B. Madsen, head of Carlsberg in Asia. About South Asia Breweries: The company was established November 2006. Carlsberg holds 45% of the shares, Industrialization Fund for Developing Countries ("IFU") holds 10%, and the remaining 45% is owned by a group of investors, lead by Carlsberg's partner in Sri Lanka, The Lion Brewery Ceylon Ltd. Contacts: Media Relations: Jens Peter Skaarup +45 3327 1417 Investor Relations: Mikael Bo Larsen +45 3327 1223 Carlsberg is one of the leading brewery groups in the world, with a large portfolio of beer and soft drinks brands. Its flagship brand - Carlsberg - is one of the fastest-growing and best-known beer brands in the world. More than 30,000 people work for Carlsberg in 48 countries, and its products are sold in more than 150 markets. In 2007 Carlsberg sold more than 115 million hectolitres of beer, which is about 95 million bottles of beer a day. Find out more at www.carlsberggroup.com
Carlsberg strengthens its operations in India - another two breweries in the pipeline
| Source: Carlsberg A/S