/ 26 January 1999

SAB TO MERGE POLISH INTERESTS

BEER giant South African Breweries Ltd said on Friday it plans to merge its interests in two Polish breweries, Lech Browary and Browary Tyskie, into one company with a single distribution system. SAB said the move follows the thumbs-up from the supervisory boards of Browary Tyskie Gorny Slask SA and Lech Browary Wielkopolski SA to shareholders on a merger, which the Polish firms see increasing efficiency and competitiveness. Control of the Polish brewers, which dominate 21% of that country’s beer market, is held by SAB together with Poland’s Euro Agro Centrum SA.