WORLD NEWS
consumers with a low-pressure hot
water system using a heat pump.

The energy is supplied via two
central heat storage tanks. Other
innovative technologies such as the
EquiTherm system from Steinecker
ensure that the heat generated
during the brewing process is
utilised efficiently.

“Maisel is setting new
standards in terms of efficiency
and sustainability with this
ultra-modern brewery. As a long-
standing partner, we are delighted
to contribute with our technology to
ensuring that ‘Bayreuther Hell’ can
be produced even more energy-
efficiently,” says Thomas Ricker,
Chief Sales Officer of Krones AG.

First Bottles at the End of 2026
Construction work is already in
full swing. The first systems for
the brewhouse will be delivered
at the end of 2025. The bottling
technology will follow in mid-
2026, before the first bottles
of ‘Bayreuther Hell’ leave the
Bayreuth brewery’s yard at the
end of the year.

The contract for the new
brewery was signed in April by
Jeff Maisel, owner and Managing
Director of Brauerei Gebr. Maisel
and Krones’ Chief Sales Officer
Thomas Ricker.

Pictured (from left): Matthias
Pohl, Vertrieb Steinecker Central
Europe, Dr. Marcus Michel,
Geschäftsführer Steinecker
GmbH, Jeff Maisel, Inhaber und
Geschäftsführer der Brauerei
Gebr. Maisel, Marc Göbel,
Geschäftsführung Braubetrieb
Maisel, Thomas Ricker,
Vertriebsvorstand Krones AG,
Frank Forster, Vertrieb Ost- und
Süddeutschland und Österreich
Krones AG.

 www.krones.com
VISIT OUR WEBSITE | www.binstedgroup.com
Less is More
KHS has set a new benchmark by
engineering one of the world’s lightest
PET bottles for still beverages to date.

Under the working title of Factor 101,
in close cooperation with Canadian-
based injection moulding technology
equipment and services provider
Husky Technologies, a container has
been produced that uses just 5.89
grams of material to hold 591ml of
product. This is equivalent to the
20-ounce size common in the US.

At drinktec 2017 KHS presented
its Factor 100 concept as a feasibility
study that featured a PET bottle
weighing approximately five grams
with a capacity of 500 millilitres. A
number of optimisations have now
been made to the further development,
as KHS packaging designer Fabian
Osterhold in Hamburg explains. “With
such extreme lightweighting, what’s
known as the top load is especially
important. This value tells us how
sturdy the bottle is from a vertical
perspective. It determines whether the
container can be stacked or not and
survive transportation undamaged.”
To increase stability, the
shoulder design of Factor 101
has been modified and the bottle
body reinforced with functional
webbing. Moreover, Osterhold and
his colleagues have developed a
base with a pop-in effect. Here,
the base pops inwards to a certain
degree when a top load is applied,
increasing the internal pressure and
therefore the stability of the bottle.

Two hundred newtons is a common
top load threshold in the industry; at
220 newtons, the Factor 101 exceeds
this. In order to achieve this high
value for a PET bottle used for still
beverages, adapting just the container
shape wasn’t enough. “The preform
design also needed to be developed
further,” emphasises Osterhold. This
is why KHS joined forces with the
specialists at Husky. The company
has a wealth of expertise as the
world’s leading equipment supplier
of PET preform injection moulding
systems and services and has been in
cooperation with KHS for many years.

African Originals Expands Cider Business to Uganda
African Originals, the Kenyan-based cider, spirits and soft drinks company is targeting
affluent urban consumers in Uganda with the launch of its premium craft cider range.

Partnering with Vicland Distributors Uganda, a leading distributor of international brands,
the company will offer six of its craft ciders, such Pineapple & Mint and Passion &
Lime, through on-trade and off-trade retail channels such as Millennium Supermarket.

Alex Chappatte, African Originals Founder and CEO, said, “We believe the cider
category has huge potential for growth across East Africa, as affluent consumers
look for bold authentic brands that incorporate a range of natural local ingredients.

We are now the leading cider brand in Kenya, and we’re excited to bring that portfolio
to Uganda where we’ve identified significant appetite for premium ciders.”
Demand for premium cider across many African countries is forecast to grow
faster than beer in the coming years, driven by its appeal to both male and female
drinkers. In Kenya, Africa’s third-biggest cider market after South Africa and
Mozambique, global data provider IWSR estimates compound cider volume growth
of 9% through 2028, compared to 4% for lager. In Uganda, the cider market will be
fuelled by an urban population expected to grow from around 13 million today to 53
million by 2065, concentrated in cities like Kampala, Nansana and Jinja.

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