In 2009 more than 14,000 visitors came to see the Velké Popovice brewery

“We are slowly reaping the fruit of our work, which we put in during the past years, when we invested a lot in the brewery, especially in areas for visitors, in reconstruction of the courtyard and brewery’s surroundings with the help of landscaping, etc. The main attraction of last year’s season was the opening of a new visitors’ center and/or the interactive sightseeing tour. A new feature which we offer in our program is Beer-making – a successful sector of Czech industries. This tour is designed for younger visitors and it focuses on the history of this trade and does not include a part, which deals with actual production of beer. This year, we want to surprise our visitors with the opening of the Kozlovna restaurant, which is directly on the premises of the brewery,” says Eva Kršňáková, head of the Visitors’ Center in the Velké Popovice brewery.

The popularity of the Velké Popovice brewery increased among local visitors, which is also due to last year’s trend, when Czechs chose to travel less abroad and preferred local tourist attractions. The new sightseeing tour was opened just in time, and it attracted 22 % more local visitors than in 2008. Czech visitors make up 56 % of the total number of visitors.

The brewery has been enjoying popularity among foreign tourists as well. Thanks to a growing popularity of Velkopopovický Kozel beer in the Russian Federation, the second largest group of tourists consists of Russians. The number of Russian visitors increased by an unbelievable 85 %, and they make up already more than a quarter of the total number of visitors (26.5 %). On the contrary, a decline in visits was noticed, for example, by Hungarian tourists. Their number decreased in 2009 by 58 % in comparison with 2008.

The high season in sightseeing at the brewery is usually from May through June, and then in the fall from September until November. An increase in visitors to the brewery is connected with special events such as the Kozel Day in May, an Open Door Day in September and Christmas at the Brewery in December. Another popular event is a Walk Through the Land of František Ringhoffer, where the brewery is one of several stops on the instructive walk.

Notes to editors:

• With a total sale of 10.7 million hectolitres in the 2008 calendar year (including licensed production abroad) and with export to more than 50 countries, Plzeňský Prazdroj is the biggest producer of beer in the region and the biggest exporter of Czech beer.

• Velkopopovický Kozel is a brand, which has an irreplaceable position in the portfolio of the Plzeňský Prazdroj. It is a brand with some of most dynamic growth on the Czech market as well as on other foreign markets. Velkopopovický Kozel Černý, dark, is also a market leader in dark beers in the Czech Republic. Last year the Velké Popovice brewery celebrated the 135th anniversary of its establishment, which was in 1874.

• Information about activities and projects which are supported by the Velkopopovický Kozel brand can be found at www.kozel.cz.

• Plzeňský Prazdroj, a.s. is a member of SABMiller PLC, one of the biggest beer companies in the world, with activities and distribution in more than 60 countries on six continents.

Contact:
Jiří Mareček
Plzeňský Prazdroj
+420 724 617 219

Velké Popovice