Czech Republic: Budejovicky Budvar CEO says Budvar does not give up dispute with Anheuser-Busch
The long-dragging dispute between Czech brewery Budejovicky Budvar and US brewing giant Anheuser-Busch is a clash of civilisations and cultures, of the original and its copy, Budvar CEO Jiri Bocek told CTK June 30.
"I do not see this as a fight between a David and a Goliath, but as a thing linked to the settlement of new continents and the movement of cultures," Bocek said.
"In this way, many things have got from Europe to America as a copy of the best the old continent had to offer. The problem is nothing but a dispute between the original and its copy," he added.
Anheuser-Busch earns about USD500 million each quarter. Budvar's gross profits reach some USD13 million a year. The dispute started in 1906. At present, it involves about 40 court disputes and over 70 administrative proceedings at patent offices.
Anheuser-Busch says it started to brew its Budweiser beer in St Louis in 1876, while Budvar was established only in 1895.
But Budvar insists King Premysl Otakar II granted a brewing right to the town of Ceske Budejovice (Budweis in German) in 1265, which means the Czech Budweiser tradition is about 800 years longer.
Bocek said US rivals had transferred "the term 'Budweiser beer' to the US without any debate, permits or agreements". Hence, Budvar is only defending its "natural rights", as well as its market position in Europe.
Bocek added he did not like Anheuser's Bud beer much. "The beer is different in character. Remarkably light in colour, with low hops content, strongly saturated with carbon dioxide. The tasting experience is not very good," he said.
But he added this beer was produced for regions with a warmer climate, to quell thirst. This corresponds to the American way of drinking beer, chilled in crushed ice.
"If you drink beer that is 2-4 degrees Centigrade cold, you will not notice the taste anyway," Bocek said. European beer is served at 8-10 degrees.
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