Farsons in cooperation agreement with Carlsberg

Simonds Farsons Cisk plc and Carlsberg Breweries A/S of Denmark yesterday signed a cooperation agreement giving Farsons the right to brew, bottle and market Carlsberg and Skol beers for a period of 12 years.

The agreement was signed by Bjorn Wiggen, Senior Vice-President of Carlsberg Breweries A/S and Louis A. Farrugia, group chief executive of the Farsons Group.

The agreement covers all aspects of the brewing operations for these two brands, which are marketed in a number of countries around the world.

Farsons and Carlsberg are this year also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the signing of the first licensing agreement between the two companies.

It was in 1978 that locally brewed Carlsberg was launched on the Maltese market for the first time. This celebration coincides with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the foundation of Farsons.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Mr Farrugia said the agreement demonstrated the confidence shown by one of the largest brewing groups in the world in a Maltese brewery. It is also a demonstration of trust in the professionalism of the Maltese brewers and management of Farsons, he said.

Mr Farrugia said Farsons had benefited a lot from the experience of Carlsberg since it signed its first licence agreement and he was sure that it would continue to benefit through the renewed term of agreement at an important point in the development of the Maltese economic structures through the country's accession to the European Union.

Mr Wiggen, who was accompanied by Jens Peter Philbert, market manager of Carlsberg, visited the brewing facilities at the Farsons brewery.