After oil, flour and cigarettes, the following raw material shortages are looming: Glass bottles are becoming scarce – the Augustiner Bräu in Salzburg, for example, has already been warned by suppliers of major bottlenecks. The “Krone” asked around.
Beer lovers must be strong! Following reports of the impending beer bottle emergency in Germany and Belgium, the lack of glass is now also a problem in Salzburg companies, such as the Augustiner Bräu in the city of Salzburg.
Master brewer Hansjörg Höplinger has already received an unwelcome message from Bavaria – the used brown euro beer bottles are now running out. “At the moment there is generally little on the market. The suppliers have now announced that there will be major bottlenecks from August or September,” said Höplinger. Addendum: “What that will look like exactly is still unclear at the moment.”
The reason for this is not just the supply chains, some of which are still not working. The raging war in Ukraine also leaves its mark on the glass market – for example, the factory of the manufacturer Vetropack in Gostomel near Kiev was shelled there; other manufacturers have stopped production.
“There are always bottlenecks”
And that is exactly what creates a lot of demand from the other manufacturers, says Höplinger. One thing makes him optimistic: the Augustiner fans will return the empties – that was different in May 2021. “People have learned that you can bring that back,” says the master brewer.
The situation is similar for Simon Windhager: he has filled about 500,000 bottles of his Hoobert-Kola at the Bavarian brewery Aldersbach and in Millstatt. “There are always bottlenecks, but it can be done,” says Windhager. Also critical: rising raw material prices. Prices for glass bottles alone have risen by as much as 20 percent. His cola should not become more expensive for the time being. “It’s as good as it gets,” Windhager says.
In Obertrum, the head of the Trumer brewery, Josef Sigl, is not concerned about the lack of glass. 80 percent of the beer is bottled; they also rely on reusable bottles. “The little rest is doable,” says Sigl – they are a reliable partner for gastronomy.
Supply chain issues make brewers think
Stiegl sees himself well prepared: The bottleneck mainly affects flint glass bottles and therefore the company is well positioned, says the company when asked by “Krone”. Plus: the current share of reusable kegs and bottles, at 70 percent, is well above the industry average.
Christoph Hofmayer, on the other hand, has taken precautions: the boss has bought a lot in advance for his small brewery on the Katschberg: “We have not had any problems yet. That has to do with the fact that we have bought in advance,” says the man from Lungau. hopes that supply chains will soon be back to pre-crisis levels.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
