Macedonian Thrace Brewery

A Greek American chemical engineer, Demetri Politopoulos, with a Diploma in Brewing Technology from Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago,{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessawardseurope.com/know/item/special-features-series-macedonian-thrace-brewery|title=2011 Ruban d'Honneur recipient for Entrepreneur of the year award: Macedonian Thrace Brewery}} and his brother during a trip to North Mexico, searching for investment opportunities, showed enthusiasm over the variety and the number of beer brands of the country. After returning to their hometown, Manhattan, while they were having a conversation about beers they started wondering which beers were drinking while back in Greece. Soon, Demetri figured out none of the beer trademarks in Greece were actually having Greek interests and almost in every country a significant rate of the inland consumption of beer was fulfilled by local breweries.

Macedonian Thrace Brewery S.A. was founded on February 1, 1996 and the Industrial area of Komotini was selected as the seat of the company facilities due to its infrastructures, the well organised business environment and its motives. The main goal of the newly founded company was the production of the "first Greek beer" under the trade name "Vergina"({{IPA|el|verʝˈina}}). Thus, the construction of the brewery began and lasted until the fall of 1997. After some problems at the production, Vergina Beer finally managed to release on February 18, 1998.{{Cite web|url=http://tovima.dolnet.gr/print_article.php?e=B&f=14867&m=A10&aa=1|title=Το ΒΗΜΑ onLine – ΡΕΠΟΡΤΑΖ|date=September 18, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070918085412/http://tovima.dolnet.gr/print_article.php?e=B&f=14867&m=A10&aa=1|access-date=April 9, 2020|archive-date=September 18, 2007}} Some of the difficulties occurred caused by the unfair competition tactics for which Athenian Brewery, a Heineken subsidiary company, later was found guilty by the court, but had already affected the growth of the company.{{Cite news|last=Thomas|first=Landon Jr|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/12/business/dealbook/in-greece-brewers-woes-reflect-struggle-of-business-owners.html|title=In Greece, Brewer's Woes Reflect Struggle of Business Owners|date=December 11, 2015|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 9, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|url=https://drinksint.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/7610/Heineken_loses_legal_battle_in_Greece.html|title=Heineken loses legal battle in Greece – Drinks International – The global choice for drinks buyers|website=drinksint.com|access-date=April 9, 2020}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-heineken-nl-fine-idUSKBN0TL1I520151202|title=Heineken subsidiary handed 31.5 million euro record Greek fine|date=December 2, 2015|work=Reuters|access-date=April 11, 2020}} Nowadays, The market share of the company ranges between around 5 and 7 percent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/233337/article/ekathimerini/business/greece-going-beer-crazy-as-microbreweries-proliferate|title=Greece going beer crazy as microbreweries proliferate, Dimitra Manifava {{!}} Kathimerini|website=www.ekathimerini.com|access-date=April 11, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.protagon.gr/themata/to-topio-tis-biras-stin-ellada-44341363785|title=Ο ελληνικός πόλεμος της μπίρας {{!}} Κική Τριανταφύλλη|website=Protagon.gr|language=el|access-date=April 11, 2020}}

The company introduced first the concept of contract farming to Greece in 2006{{Cite web|title=Η "Βεργίνα" κερδίζει έδαφος στον "πόλεμο" της αγοράς μπύρας|url=https://www.voria.gr/article/i-vergina-kerdizi-edafos-ston-polemo-tis-agoras-mpiras|last=Voria.gr|website=Η «Βεργίνα» κερδίζει έδαφος στον «πόλεμο» της αγοράς μπύρας|access-date=2020-05-31}} and as of 2019 the contracted acreage exceeded the 35,000 acres in Macedonia and Thrace.{{Cite journal|title=Η δύναµη του νερού στη δοµή της µπύρας|url=https://www.agronews.gr/files/pdf/04_19_Beer_Brunch.pdf|journal=Beer and Brunch}}

In 2013 Vergina Weiss won the Silver Medal and the second place for MTB in the "Speciality Wheat Beer" category at the International Brewing Awards competition, the oldest one since 1886.{{Cite web|url=https://www.brewingawards.org/awards/2013|title=Brewing Awards – Welcome to the International Brewing Awards, incorporating The International Cider Awards|website=brewingawards.org|access-date=April 13, 2020}} In 2014 and 2018 again Vergina Weiss won the Bronze and Silver Medal accordingly, in the "South German-Style Hefeweizen Hell" category at the European Beer Star competition.{{Cite web|url=https://www.european-beer-star.com/ebs-en/presse-und-fotos/gewinnerlisten/|title=European Beer Star – List of winners|website=european-beer-star.com|access-date=April 13, 2020|archive-date=April 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425144856/https://www.european-beer-star.com/ebs-en/presse-und-fotos/gewinnerlisten/|url-status=dead}} In 2020 the company launched a new beer product, Vergina Alcohol Free, a low-alcohol beer (almost zero), and proceeded to a general rebranding with the formation of a new logo, graphics and products packaging.{{Cite web|title=Νέα εταιρική ταυτότητα και λανσαρίσματα για τη ΒΕΡΓΙΝΑ|url=https://www.agronews.gr/branding/brand-name/185686/nea-etairiki-tautotita-kai-lansarismata-gia-ti-vergina/|access-date=2020-07-16|website=Agronews|language=el}}

The Brewery mainly produces Vergina Premium Lager, Vergina Red, Vergina Weiss, Vergina Porfyra Vergina XXX Black and Vergina Alcohol Free, but is also the producer for Edelsteiner, Hillas and Prost beer trademarks.{{Cite web|url=https://untappd.com/MacedonianThraceBrewerySA/beer|title=Untappd|last=Team|first=The Untappd|website=Untappd|access-date=April 8, 2020}}

Vergina beer products are exported since 1999 in US, England, Italy, Australia, Japan, Netherlands, Turkey, Bulgaria, Cyprus and more.{{Cite web|url=https://www.voria.gr/article/i-vergina-kerdizi-edafos-ston-polemo-tis-agoras-mpiras|title=Η "Βεργίνα" κερδίζει έδαφος στον "πόλεμο" της αγοράς μπύρας|last=Voria.gr|website=Η «Βεργίνα» κερδίζει έδαφος στον «πόλεμο» της αγοράς μπύρας|access-date=April 8, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.greeka.com/greece-culture/gastronomy/greek-beer/|title=Beers of Greece – Greek Gastronomy {{!}} Greeka.com|website=Greekacom|access-date=April 11, 2020}}

File:Vergina Beer Bottle & Glass.jpg|Former Vergina Beer glass and bottle packaging until July 2020.

File:Vergina Beer Logo English.png|Former Vergina Beer logo until July 2020.

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Category:Breweries in Greece

Category:Beer in Greece

Category:Greek brands

Category:Komotini

Category:Greek companies established in 1996

Category:Food and drink companies established in 1996