Belgian brewer starts global roll-out of Ukraine beer for relief effort

Reuters ^ | May 6, 2022 | Clement Rossignol and Christian Levaux

[UMCRevMom@aol.com]

Ukraine's Ambassador to the EU Vsevolod Chentsov, Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Belgium Kris Beckers, Chernigivske marketing director Anna Rudenko, Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Jason Warner and Ambassador of Ukraine Oleh Shamshur.

LEUVEN, Belgium, May 6 (Reuters) - The world's largest brewer launched production of a popular Ukrainian beer in Belgium on Friday and said all profits made from its global sales would go to humanitarian relief in Ukraine following Russia's invasion.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) has halted production of the Chernigivske lager and other beers at its three breweries in Ukraine because of the war, which began after Russia invaded on Feb. 24.

Ukraine's ambassador to Belgium, Oleg Shamshur, attended the roll-out of the first cans at AB InBev's large brewery in Leuven on Friday and welcomed the launch as a way of showcasing Ukrainian products to the world.

"Maybe even more importantly it would have a symbolic meaning in the sense that people who are drinking Chernigivske will think of Chernihiv, the city which was attacked by the Russians and which resisted the Russian invasion."

The beer originates in Chernihiv, a city in the north of Ukraine that suffered heavy shelling and missile strikes earlier in the war before Russian forces shifted their focus towards eastern and southern Ukraine.

The beer is already on sale in Britain.

"This initiative is now going global," AB InBev's European chief Jason Warner "You'll be able to enjoy a Chernigivske in Canada, a Chernigivske in the United States, also in Colombia, Brazil and through Latin America as well as across Europe."

Despite suspending production in Ukraine, AB InBev has said it will continue to pay its 1,812 staff there this year, as well as helping their families with food and accommodation.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

More money laundering via corporations?

[max americana]

More violin playing, I see. We already send BILLIONS in aid to the Biden Family Recreation Center aka Ukraine.

[Fai Mao]

I still have no idea which side I support in this. Neither side look like good guys to me

[EEGator]

Because neither side is good, and it’s not our problem.

[Fai Mao]

“Because neither side is good, and it’s not our problem.

That is how I feel. I think I am rooting for a protracted stalemate.

[markomalley]

Freedom Fries part deux

[eastforker]

I think I will have a Stella while I am waiting on this uke brew.