STORIESlegitimize themselves in the eyes of inexperi-
enced consumers, have now regretted making
that move because of the limited profitability
(or negative profitability) of said operations.
The era of capital gains and multimillion-dollar
purchases is over, those who will sell from now
on will no longer be acquired for the brand but
for their actual production capacities (dimen-
sions, volumes, facilities, technologies, etc.).
And which will be acquired at cost price». And
he adds: «The acquisition was not a trigger for
changes on the market but rather a result of the
changes themselves; due to a general industry
orientation to appropriate market shares typi-
cal of craft beer. I believe that the invasion of
crafty products, available on every shelf, that
have strongly capitalized on the taste and buy-
ing preferences of the daily consumer has been
more relevant in this sense».
ITALIAN INDUSTRIAL BEER
Moretti, Moretti, Poretti, Ichnusa, Dreher:
we have already said that they are Italian
brands in the hands of multinationals. We
have not yet mentioned Peroni, which is
owned by the Japanese group Asahi. But,
in addition to the artisan microbrewer-
ies, do any authentic Italian brands still
exist? Yes, more than one and all in great
shape. Like Birra Forst, one of Italy’s
largest breweries. In spite of the German
name for Foresta - a fraction of Lagundo,
just outside Merano (BZ) where the brew-
ery was founded in 1857 - the company
has always been all Italian and is also the
owner of the Menabrea brewery in Biella.
Tod ay, Margherita Fuchs von Mannstein
is at the helm: «The company has been in the
hands of our family for five generations and
over the years has become one of the most
important breweries in Italy, which has al-
ways been characterized by attention to the
highest quality of its brewing specialties re-
specting nature and traditions». But, apart
from independence, what is the difference
with a brewery owned by a multinational
company? «There are different factors of
differentiation. At the base there is a way to
LESS EXCISE DUTY (TAXES) FOR SMALL BREWERS
In Italy, legislation relating to beer dates back to law n.1354 of August 16th,
1962: despite numerous modifications, those are still the guidelines that
govern production. The categories provided by law are the following:
non-alcoholic beer: Plato grade between 3 and 8; alcohol content not
exceeding 1.2%
light beer: Plato grade between 5 and 10.5; alcohol content between 1.2%
and 3.5%
beer: Plato grade above 10.5; alcohol content over 3.5%
special beer: Plato grade not inferior to 12.5
double malt beer: Plato grade not inferior to 14.5
The Plato grade (in broad terms) measures the density of sugar in the must
and represents the parameter on which the excise duties on beer produc-
tion, multiplied by the hectoliters produced, are calculated. This type of
taxation in Italy does not involve wine. In recent years, however, something
has changed: we have already mentioned the law that defines craft beer
(the labeling was strictly forbidden and sanctioned before it was issued); but
above all the tax burden on beer has dropped.
Minister Tria’s signature dates back to this last June 5 to the decree that
implements the provisions of the 2019 Budget law: excise duties on beer
will be reduced by one cent (from 3.00 euro to 2.99 euro), while for small
craft breweries that do not exceed 10,000 hectoliters per year, the decrease
will be 40%. Will this also lead to a decrease in the price to the consumer?
Certainly not, but small producers will have the possibility of reinvesting
these sums for the growth of their business (or at least we hope).