CARLSBERG v. TUBORG

Carlsberg and Tuborg are Denmark's biggest beer brands. In fact, they are part of the same group, since the two companies merged in 1970. At one time they controlled more than 90% of the market, which was rather boring. As in the U.K., that led to a consumer backlash, and a spate of microbreweries have opened all over the country in recent years. When we were on Bornholm we visited the Svanninge brewery, which has done very well.

Tuborg was originally the bigger brand; but Carlsberg gradually overhauled it, and at the time of the merger was decidedly the dominant player. Since then, Tuborg has tended to be sold slightly more cheaply, which has led to a revival amongst young people.

However, it is in emerging markets that the biggest changes have occurred. Tuborg is storming ahead in Turkey, China and India, which are all large emerging markets. The result is that this year, worldwide production of Tuborg will outstrip that of Carlsberg for the first time in decades.

Not that I care. If I am drinking a Danish beer, I tend to drink Vestfyns, a local brewery 15km down the road.

Walter Blotscher