The contract for the sale of the business unit relating to the San Giorgio di Nogaro plant owned by Birra Castello SpA, owner of the historic Pedavena brewery, to the Royal Unibrew Group, an international player in the multi-beverage market, announced last July, was finalized yesterday (read EFA News). Birra Castello SpA will continue to maintain ownership of all the group's current brands - Birra Castello, Birra Dolomiti, Pedavena, Superior and Alpen - and will continue with the strategy of strengthening and developing the Belluno plant.

The acquisition of the San Giorgio di Nogaro plant, with an estimated potential beer production capacity of up to 1 million hectoliters per year, will significantly enhance Royal Unibrew's production and packaging capacity of cans and glass bottles in Italy. Equipped with two filling lines, this facility will allow Royal Unibrew to strengthen its presence in Italy, allowing the company to meet the growing demand for its products both locally and internationally.

Thanks to the harmony between Birra Castello and the Royal Unibrew Group and in full agreement with the trade unions, the workers involved in the transfer are guaranteed the existing contractual conditions, thus ensuring the Danish group full continuity of the current know-how. Among all the collaborators with work headquarters in San Giorgio di Nogaro, eight employees of the Italian group will continue to work for Birra Castello in the new offices in via Meucci 1, also in the town in the province of Udine.

“Even though we are closing an important chapter in our history, we are happy to open up to new business challenges. We reiterate that we have found in the Royal Unibrew Group – declares Eliano Verardo , CEO of Birra Castello SpA – a solid buyer, with an integrated development project in harmony with the local community and capable of ensuring continuity in terms of employment. Thanks to the sale it will be possible for us to increase investments in innovation and development of our historic factory in Pedavena, maintain the production of Castello brand beer and strengthen the distribution of all the group's current brands by concentrating on a single factory".

The acquisition of the plant is an achievement "of great importance for the continued growth of our business in Italy, improving our ability to meet the growing demand for our drinks. This acquisition also alleviates production capacity constraints in the Group", he says Jan Ankersen , SVP South Europe and Managing Director Italy.