118-year-old Tsingtao Brewery raises the bar on the definition of a high-end beer, while leading the transformation of the industry

QINGDAO, China, July 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On the afternoon of July 15, the delegation of journalists from foreign media organizations in attendance at 2021 Qingdao Multinationals Summit entered the Qingdao Beer Museum to learn about the culture of the century-old beer as well as about the brewing technology, while quaffing a pint of pure Tsingtao beer, and soaking in the innovation taking place at the brewery.

Tsingtao Brewery, jointly founded in Qingdao in August 1903 by German and British merchants, is a China-based brewer with a long history. With a brand valued at 198.6 billion yuan (approx. US$30.7 billion), the brewery has led the Chinese beer industry for 18 consecutive years and is listed among the World's 500 Most Influential Brands.

Tsingtao Brewery is creating a fashionable lifestyle experience: in addition to the Tsingtao 1903 Bars that can be found throughout the country, the brewery hosts beer festivals in 50 Chinese cities every year, achieving the transformation from product to experience and from traditional manufacturing to the Industry 4.0 paradigm.

On March 15, Tsingtao Brewery joined the World Economic Forum's elite Global Lighthouse Network of manufacturers at an induction event in Geneva, Switzerland, becoming the network's first member in the beverage industry. Members of the network have successfully harnessed advanced technologies to propel productivity, profits and sustainability gains, and, by doing so, have solved the pain points such as a long industry production cycle and challenges in setting meaningful production targets.

The brewery's latest high-end offerings include Tsingtao Centennial Journey and Amber Lager. Previously, there were few high-end beers selling for more than 100 yuan (approx. US$15.4), while the new offerings have succeeded in overcoming the price barrier and raising the perceived value of domestic product to a new level. With a color grading of EBC20 (European Brewing Convention), the product fills the technical gap experienced by the dark beer industry in China. From the selection of rare raw materials to refinement of brewing techniques, from getting the amber color of the beer just right to new packaging created by a world-class design team, alongside the well-executed transition to a lifestyle experience brand, Tsingtao Brewery has successfully leveraged several unique advantages that the firm possesses to transform the positioning of the brand to a whole new level.

SOURCE Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province