For German brewers, the “roller coaster of emotions” keep on going. The chosen expression of Robin Weber, co-founder of the small brand Berliner Berg, which produces 10,000 hectoliters of beer a year in the heart of the capital, sums up the profound disarray of the sector, which consumes a lot of energy. While beer consumption has resumed with the beautiful days and the return of social life after health restrictions, “The concerns for the future are great”.
Since the beginning of 2022, he has seen a 30% increase in his gas bill, because, “yes, unfortunately, the steam generator essential to our production runs on gas”, he sighs. From 1er October, it will also be necessary to collect the additional cost of deliveries, of 2.419 centimes per kilowatt hour consumed, which gas importing companies will be able to pass on to consumers. This new regulation, decided after the rescue of Uniper at the beginning of the summer, aims to spread the financial burden to support the crisis.
Lack of transparency
At Berliner Berg, Robin Weber is studying alternatives in case the sector is not on the priority list of food industries, including switching to a brewing process with fuel oil as the main energy. “But for this winter, it is technically impossible to set up. » In the worst case, the young entrepreneur hopes to benefit from support measures such as partial unemployment for the 21 employees and last a few months without producing. “You can ask Olaf Scholz [le chancelier] when he intends to give us information? », smiles his partner Michèle Hengst, who is half joking. The lack of transparency of the government and the Network Agency undermines them.
“There are delivery times of six months! » Ulrich Biene, spokesperson for Veltins, the Rhineland beer giant
At the Rhenish beer giant Veltins, the choice has already been made. The excellent results of the first quarter (production up by 10%) made it possible to invest 30 million euros to buy fuel tanks, but also to store bottles – another priority at the moment. Indeed, during the Covid-19 pandemic, consumers were unable to frequent beer gardens and restaurants: we drank less from the pressure. However, the glass industry is bearing the brunt of the soaring gas prices and, due to a lack of manpower, is struggling to return to its pre-health crisis production levels. “There are delivery times of six months!, notes Veltins spokesperson Ulrich Biene. We go from one crisis to another. We hope not to come to a situation where we can no longer deliver and avoid empty shelves. »
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