Backus and Johnston

Backus and Johnston

Type	Private
Industry	Beverage
Founded	1879
Headquarters	Lima, Peru
Products	Beer
Parent	SABMiller
Website	www.backus.com.pe

Backus and Johnston is the largest brewery in Peru, part of Grupo Empresarial Bavaria,^[1] which itself is part of the international SABMiller group. Its main brewery is located in the Ate District of Lima. Backus, as owner of almost all brands of beer available in Peru, enjoys a de facto monopoly over Peruvian beer consumption, although recently InBev from Brazil is trying to challenge the monopoly with their Brahma. Besides beer, Backus also produces soft drinks and bottled water.

History

The Backus and Johnston brewery was founded in 1879 by Mr. Jacob Backus and Mr. John Howard Johnston in the Rímac District in Lima. In 1889, the two founders incorporated "The Backus and Johnston's Brewery Company Ltd" in London, and they transferred all their Peruvian brewery related assets to this new corporation in order to raise investment capital in the Joint Stock of London to continue their business growth. The founders continued as Managing Directors of the company for many years thereafter until Mr. Johnston left Peru in 1898 for family reasons, and Mr. Backus died in 1899. The company operated as a British corporation until 1954, when the company management decided to transfer the company assets and incorporation to Peru. At this time, "The Backus and Johnston's Brewery Company Ltd" was renamed as Cervecería Backus & Johnston S.A. In 1994 Backus and Johnston managed to take over its rival on the beer market, the National Beer Company Compañía Nacional de Cerveza S.A., formed in 1863 and owner of the Pilsen Callao brand. In 1996 four breweries, including Backus and Johnston merged into one new company using the name Union of Peruvian breweries Backus and Johnston (Spanish: Unión de Cervecerías Peruanas Backus y Johnston S.A.A.). In 2000 the company further expanded when the Brewery Company of Southern Peru (Cervesur) joined the union, making it owner of the popular Cusqueña brand. Since 2005 Backus and Johnston is part of the SABMiller group of breweries. The company still owns the prominently visible brewery in the Rímac district.^[2]

Breweries

Backus owns breweries in various parts of Peru. Its main brewery is located in Lima, while the other breweries are still located in the parts of Peru they used to serve before the take-over by Backus and Johnston.^[3]

• Ate brewery in Lima (now Cristal, Cusqueña, Barena and Polar )
• Motupe brewery in Chiclayo (now Cristal and Pilsen Callao)
• Trujillo brewery in Trujillo (former Pilsen Trujillo, now Cristal, Pilsen Callao and Pilsen Trujillo)
• Arequipa brewery in Arequipa (former Arequipeña, now Arequipeña, Cristal, Cusqueña and Pilsen Callao)
• Cusco brewery in Cusco (former Cusqueña, now Cristal, Pilsen Trujillo, Cusqueña and Pilsen Callao)
• Pucallpa brewery in Pucallpa (former San Juan, now Cristal, Pilsen Callao and San Juan)

Brands

Beers

Arequipeña

Backus and Johnston and Grupo Empresarial Bavaria own most of the popular beer brands in Peru, including: San Juan, a 5% abv pale lager. ^[4] San Juan is brewed in the Backus brewery located in Pucallpa. Before the take-over by Backus, San Juan was brewed by Cervecería San Juan S.A.A. This brewery was founded on 2 September 1971 in Pucallpa in the Ucayali Region and named after San Juan Bautista.^[5]

Arequipeña was a rival product to Cusqueña and Cristal until the take-over by Grupo Empresarial Bavaria.^[6] Arequipeña is brewed in the Cervecera del sur del Peru brewery located in Sacha near Arequipa, Peru. ^[7][8][9] Barena^[10]; Cristal^[11] Cusqueña is a light lager, or a dark malted beer. ^[12][13]Some label designs were created by Barry Laughlin. ^[14]

• Pilsen Callao^[15]
• Pilsen Trujillo^[16]
• Barena
• Malta Polar

Backus and Johnston also has a license to import Birra Peroni Nastro Azzurro in Peru.

Soft drinks

The soft drinks owned by Backus include Viva, a beverage similar to Inca Kola and Guaraná, a beverage containing guaraná fruit.

• Guaraná
• Viva
• Saboré (this product line was terminated in 2008)

Bottled water

Bottled water is produced under the brand names Cristalina Backus and San Mateo.

• San Mateo

San Mateo is a Peruvian brand of bottled water owned by Backus and Johnston and sold in Peru. San Mateo is sold in PET bottles of 600 ml.

• Cristalina Backus

See also

Drink portal

List of beverage companies of Peru

References

1. ^ Faber, J.P. (2002). "The big beer deal - Backus y Johnson, Grupo Empresarial Bavaria, and Cisneros Group". findarticles.com. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0OQC/is_4_3/ai_100463052. Retrieved 2008-05-30. 
2. ^ Backus, Our business, History, Retrieved 12 October 2007
3. ^ Backus, Our brands, Our breweries, Retrieved 13 October 2007
4. ^ (Spanish) San Juan, Presentaciones, Retrieved October 13, 2007
5. ^ (Spanish) San Juan, Historia, Retrieved 13 October 2007
6. ^ "Thomson Financial Mergers & Acquisitions - SABMiller PLC acquires remaining interest in Cia Cervecera Del Sur Del Peru (pending) - AlacraStore.com". www.alacrastore.com. http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Thomson_M%26A/SABMiller_PLC_acquires_remaining_interest_in_Cia_Cervecera_Del_Sur_Del_Peru-1811632040. Retrieved 2008-05-30. 
7. ^ "Cervecera del sur del Peru (Grupo Empresarial Bavaria)". www.ratebeer.com. http://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/Beer/ShowBrewer.asp?BrewerID=1520. Retrieved 2008-05-30. 
8. ^ Arequipeña, Arequipeña, Nuestros productos, Retrieved 13 October 2007
9. ^ Backus
10. ^ (Spanish) Barena, Pásala Barena, Retrieved 12 October 2007.
11. ^ (Spanish) Cristal, Cristal, the beer of Peru, Retrieved 12 October 2007.
12. ^ Cusquena website in the UK. Retrieved on October 12, 2007
13. ^ Backus, Our Brands, Beers. Retrieved on October 12, 2007
14. ^ Barry Laughlin's website
15. ^ (Spanish) Pilsen Callao, Pilsen Callao, 13 October 2007.
16. ^ (Spanish) Pilsen Trujillo, Pilsen Trujillo, 12 October 2007.

External links

• (Spanish) Backus web site
• (Spanish) San Juan web site