DB Breweries
Encyclopedia
DB Breweries is a Singaporean
and Dutch
brewing company operating in New Zealand
. It was founded in 1930 by Sir Henry Kelliher and W Joseph Coutts with the purchase of Levers and Co. and the Waitemata Brewery Co. in Otahuhu
. The company mainly produces pale lager
. Its TUI brand is one of the better-known beers in New Zealand, partly due to strong advertising.
Asia Pacific Breweries
acquired DB Breweries in 2004.
, owned by W.J. Coutts, who became a director.
Coutts' son, Morton W. Coutts
, took over as director in 1946, and later developed a new production process called "continuous fermentation", which enabled beer to be made continuously, without the need to stop and clean between batches. The system proved popular enough to be sold to other brewing companies.
), Mainland Brewery (Timaru
) and Monteith's Brewery (Greymouth
).
The Tui Brewery was established in 1889 by Henry Wagstaff and Edward Russell. The main brand is Tui, a 4% abv
pale lager
. The New Zealand Consumers' Institute recently criticised Tui for claiming to be an "East India Pale Ale" when it is in fact a pale lager
that bears little resemblance to the traditionally hoppy, bitter or malty India Pale Ale
styles.
Tui is promoted through a humorous advertising campaign which uses stereotype
s, heavy irony
and the phrase Yeah Right. These advertisements have caused some controversy, such as a billboard in Wellington
stating 'Camilla for Queen? Yeah Right' and one stating 'Aucklanders are people too. Yeah Right'.
in 1981 as a wholesale liquor chain, growing to 18 stores in its first year of business. Although it shares the name, it is not related to Liquorland
in Australia
. Liquorland is a wholly owned subsidiary of DB Breweries who originated and owns the Master Franchise.
Through acquisition of rival Dalgety NZ Ltd in 1982, the national chain expanded to 29 outlets. Further expansion throughout the 1980s with the acquisition of the Wilson Neill business in 1989 saw Liquorland reach over sixty stores.
In April 2000 Liquorland’s business model changed from being managed stores to a total franchise chain called Liquorland Limited. Today Liquorland has almost 80 stores nationwide. Liquorland has grown to be a household name and is market leader in New Zealand
with sales close to $300 million per year.
In November 2008, DB Breweries sold the company to Foodstuffs
for an undisclosed sum. It is understood that DB was negotiating with both Progressive Enterprises
(the holding company for Woolworths' New Zealand operations) and Foodstuffs. It was understood DB made it clear that consideration of future interests for franchisees and staff, as well as the continuation of the brand as a whole, formed a major part of the decision of whom to sell to.
DB officially confirmed that it was looking to continue its relationship with the franchise, retaining marketing and supply agreements.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
brewing company operating in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It was founded in 1930 by Sir Henry Kelliher and W Joseph Coutts with the purchase of Levers and Co. and the Waitemata Brewery Co. in Otahuhu
Otahuhu
Otahuhu is a suburb of Auckland. It is located to the southeast of the city centre, on a narrow isthmus between an arm of the Manukau Harbour to the west and the Tamaki River estuary to the east...
. The company mainly produces pale lager
Pale lager
Pale lager is a very pale to golden-coloured beer with a well attenuated body and a varying degree of noble hop bitterness. The brewing process for this beer developed in the mid 19th century when Gabriel Sedlmayr took pale ale brewing techniques back to the Spaten Brewery in Germany and applied it...
. Its TUI brand is one of the better-known beers in New Zealand, partly due to strong advertising.
Asia Pacific Breweries
Asia Pacific Breweries
Asia Pacific Breweries is an Asian brewery company founded as Malayan Breweries Limited in 1931, in a joint venture between Heineken International and Fraser and Neave, and given its present name in 1990. It currently controls 30 breweries in 12 countries in the Asia Pacific region, selling over...
acquired DB Breweries in 2004.
History
The company was founded in 1930 by Sir Henry Kelliher with the purchase of Levers and Co. and the Waitemata Brewery Co. in OtahuhuOtahuhu
Otahuhu is a suburb of Auckland. It is located to the southeast of the city centre, on a narrow isthmus between an arm of the Manukau Harbour to the west and the Tamaki River estuary to the east...
, owned by W.J. Coutts, who became a director.
Coutts' son, Morton W. Coutts
Morton W. Coutts
Morton William Coutts was a New Zealand born inventor who revolutionised the science of brewing beer. He is best known for the continuous fermentation method.-History:...
, took over as director in 1946, and later developed a new production process called "continuous fermentation", which enabled beer to be made continuously, without the need to stop and clean between batches. The system proved popular enough to be sold to other brewing companies.
Breweries
DB Breweries owns and operates four breweries in New Zealand - Waitemata Brewery (Otahuhu, Auckland), Tui Brewery (MangatainokaMangatainoka
Mangatainoka is a small settlement in northern Wairarapa Bush, New Zealand. It is located between Pahiatua to the south and Woodville to the north and is intersected by the Mangatainoka River. The 2001 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings gave its population as 1,617, consisting of 858...
), Mainland Brewery (Timaru
Timaru
TimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:...
) and Monteith's Brewery (Greymouth
Greymouth
Greymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coast's inhabitants...
).
The Tui Brewery was established in 1889 by Henry Wagstaff and Edward Russell. The main brand is Tui, a 4% abv
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
pale lager
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
. The New Zealand Consumers' Institute recently criticised Tui for claiming to be an "East India Pale Ale" when it is in fact a pale lager
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
that bears little resemblance to the traditionally hoppy, bitter or malty India Pale Ale
India Pale Ale
India Pale Ale or IPA is a style of beer within the broader category of pale ale. It was first brewed in England in the 19th century.The first known use of the expression "India pale ale" comes from an advertisement in the Liverpool Mercury newspaper published January 30, 1835...
styles.
Tui is promoted through a humorous advertising campaign which uses stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s, heavy irony
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
and the phrase Yeah Right. These advertisements have caused some controversy, such as a billboard in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
stating 'Camilla for Queen? Yeah Right' and one stating 'Aucklanders are people too. Yeah Right'.
Liquorland
Liquorland was formed in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1981 as a wholesale liquor chain, growing to 18 stores in its first year of business. Although it shares the name, it is not related to Liquorland
LiquorLAND
Liquorland is an Australian liquor chain owned by Wesfarmers. Liquorland is one of three brands within Wesfarmers' Coles division., along with fine-wine focussed Vintage Cellars and the larger discount format 1st Choice Liquor Superstore...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Liquorland is a wholly owned subsidiary of DB Breweries who originated and owns the Master Franchise.
Through acquisition of rival Dalgety NZ Ltd in 1982, the national chain expanded to 29 outlets. Further expansion throughout the 1980s with the acquisition of the Wilson Neill business in 1989 saw Liquorland reach over sixty stores.
In April 2000 Liquorland’s business model changed from being managed stores to a total franchise chain called Liquorland Limited. Today Liquorland has almost 80 stores nationwide. Liquorland has grown to be a household name and is market leader in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
with sales close to $300 million per year.
In November 2008, DB Breweries sold the company to Foodstuffs
Foodstuffs
Foodstuffs is a group of three New Zealand grocery and liquor retailers' cooperatives based in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch which collectively control an estimated 57% of the New Zealand grocery market...
for an undisclosed sum. It is understood that DB was negotiating with both Progressive Enterprises
Progressive Enterprises
Progressive Enterprises Limited is an Australian owned company operating in New Zealand, and a subsidiary of the Australian retail group Woolworths Limited....
(the holding company for Woolworths' New Zealand operations) and Foodstuffs. It was understood DB made it clear that consideration of future interests for franchisees and staff, as well as the continuation of the brand as a whole, formed a major part of the decision of whom to sell to.
DB officially confirmed that it was looking to continue its relationship with the franchise, retaining marketing and supply agreements.
Radler Trademark
DB trademarked the word Radler in 2003. This was contested in court by the Society of Beer Advocates who lost the case in 2011 when the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand ruled in favour of DB breweries after a two year court battle. The Society of Beer Advocates likens this trademark to being able to trademark the work 'Muesli' for cereal and is disappointed in this result as the word radler is commonly used in Europe. This ruling has also been labelled as 'out of touch with reality' and condemned by some intellectual property experts in New Zealand.Beer
- Amstel Light
- Budejovicky Budvar
- DB Bitter
- DB Draught
- ErdingerErdingerThe Privatbrauerei Erdinger Weißbräu Werner Brombach GmbH is a brewery in Erding, Germany. Its best-known products are its namesake Weißbiers .-History:...
- Export Gold
- HeinekenHeinekenHeineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
- Monteith'sMonteith'sMonteith's Brewery Company was originally a family-owned brewing company until it was bought by DB Breweries. It continued to brew its beers on the West Coast of New Zealand until DB decided that the cost of keeping production there was no longer viable...
- Murphy'sMurphy's Irish StoutMurphy's Irish Stout is a dry stout brewed in County Cork according to the original recipe by Murphy's Brewery since 1856.In comparison to its heavier and more bitter chief competitors, Guinness and Beamish, Murphy's is a lighter and sweeter dry stout. Its flavour is evocative of caramel and malt,...
- Sol
- Tiger
- Tui