Volfas Engelman
Volfas Engelman is an alcoholic beverages manufacturer in Kaunas, Lithuania.
| Sole proprietorship | |
| Industry | Light alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages |
| Founded | 1853 |
| Headquarters | Kaunas, Kaunakiemio 2 |
Key people | CEO Marius Horbačauskas |
| Products | Beer, cider, cocktails, kvass, energy drink |
| Revenue | €49,3 million (2019) |
Number of employees | Around 200 (2009) |
| Website | http://www.volfasengelman.lt/en/ |
The establishment of brewery „Volfas Engelman“ dates back to the 19th century. Today the brewery produces beer, cider, alcoholic mixed drinks, kvass and energy drinks. Volfas Engelman brewery is named after its two founders. Since 2012 the CEO of the company is Marius Horbačauskas. The number of employees is more than 230 - it makes Volfas Engelman the second largest brewery in Lithuania. At the moment 99,57 % of „Volfas Engelman“ shares belong to the Finnish „Olvi“ Company Group. “Olvi” was established in 1878 by the brewer Williams Gideon Åberg and his wife Onni. At present it is the third largest producer of beer, cider and soft drinks in Finland.
History
The history of the brewery goes back to 1853 when a businessman called Rafailas Volfas established a brewery in the residential area of Kaunas city Vilijampole. The business was taken over by his son Iseras Beras Volfas - whom the brewery was named after. The enterprise became one of the first industrial breweries in the eastern region of the Baltic Sea. In 1860 on the bank of the Nemunas river, by the railway station, another brewery „Engelman“ started its work. This brewery, which at the time belonged to Ferdinandas Engelman, was bought by I. B. Volfas and A. Soloveicikas in 1894. The new owners left the brewery name unchanged. Two breweries „I. B. Volfas“ and „Engelman“ were now working in parallel. Their beer production became widely known beyond the limits of Kaunas province, earned multiple medals at international exhibitions and acquired wider recognition already by the end of the 19th century.
In 1918, after Lithuania declared independence, the owners of „I. B. Volfas” and „Engelman“ returned to the country (during the war they spent years in the depth of Russia). Brewery „Engelman“, which experienced much suffering during the war, was now being rapidly rebuilt. In 1927, the owners of breweries „I. B‘. Volfas“ and „Engelman“ joined these enterprises together and named „Sujungtų alaus daryklų, salyklo fabrikų ir vaisvandenių dirbtuvių „I. B. Volfas-Engelman“ akcinė bendrovė““ („Joint Stock Company „I. B. Volfas – Engelman“ of Associated Breweries, Malt Factories and Squash Shops“). This move was a reaction to the tough market situation, expecting to reduce the manufacturing expenses. The enterprise became the biggest beer producer and managed to increase its market share in the Lithuanian contemporary beer market to the impressive 40 %. The new brewery was focused on constant renewal of the equipment and was the first in Lithuania to apply artificial freezing in beer production (until then, everybody used to transport blocks of ice through the river Nemunas and keep them in cold cellars all year round).
While preparing for the Exhibition of Lithuanian Agriculture and Industry in 1930, the brewery brewed the dark „Parodos“ („Exhibition“) beer.. It became a huge success. Before long, the brewery became well known for its „Pilzen“ beer, „Lietuviškasis porteris“ („Lithuanian Porter“), the strong porter „Imperial“, English beer „Double“ and other beverages. Squash, table water and cider were produced there as well.
„J. B. Volfas-Engelman“ was one of the sponsors when the new Vytautas the Great War Museum was built. It also contributed to the opening of Vytautas the Great monument, supported the studies of gifted young people from humble backgrounds. It would not be an overstatement to say that the brewers of that time were the real creators of the welfare of Lithuanian society. „I. B. Volfas-Engelman“ can be justly named the Kaunas legend and Beer Number One in the interwar Lithuania. In June 1940, after the occupation by the Soviet Union, the brewery was nationalized, the enterprise name (which did not correspond to the Soviet ideology) was changed to „Raudonoji pašvaistė“ („The Red Glow“). During the war between Germany and Soviet Union, when Lithuanian territory was taken over by the German army (in 1941-1944), the brewery became simply called „Pašvaistė“ („Glow“). Shortly it was renamed to „Perkūnas“ („The Thunder“). The brewery managed to recover and maintain its trading activities, however, the second Soviet occupation came as a huge destructive force to its operations.
In 1944-1959 the enterprise was renamed to „Raudonoji pašvaistė“ once again. However, in 1959, after the establishment of „„Kauno alkoholinių ir bealkoholinių gėrimų kombinatas“ („Kaunas Alcoholic and Soft Drinks Group of Enterprises“), the former „Engelman“ enterprise became „Gamykla Nr. 1“ („Plant No 1“). The other Kaunas brewery (former „Ragutis“, during the interwar period situated in the Savanorių avenue) was affiliated with it and named „Gamykla Nr. 2“ („Plant No 2“). Later the group of enterprises was reorganized. Since 1967 it was called „Kaunas Beer Group of Enterprises „Ragutis““. In 1971, the group of enterprises got turned into Kaunas Beer Association „Ragutis“, which retained its name and structure until 1990. In the 80‘s and 90‘s of the 20th century the enterprise was reconstructed and updated. In the enterprises of Kaunas Beer Association „Ragutis“ a wide range of products were made, including beer, squash, kvass, baking yeast, barley malt, concentrate of bread kvass mash, dry beer yeast for medicine and vanilla sugar. The plant located in Birštonas (the bottling center of the mineral water „Vytautas“ and „Birutė“) also belonged to this association. After the restoration of Lithuania‘s independence in 1990, „Ragutis“ company was awarded the status of Kaunas State Brewery. Brewery named „Gamykla Nr. 2“ separated from the company and was named „Žalsvytis“. In 1994, brewery „Ragutis“ was privatized and reorganized to a joint-stock company.
At the beginning of 1997, 51% of „Ragutis“ shares were acquired by Czech Company „Pilsner Urquell”. After two years the Czechs sold their shares of JSC „Ragutis“ to Estonian Beer Company „A. le Coq“, managed by the Finnish company „Olvi Plc.“ Currently 99.57 % of the shares of JSC „Volfas Engelman“ belong to it. The remaining shares are split between the enterprise employees and private persons. On the 12th of April, 2011, the brewery recovered its historic name „Volfas Engelman“.
In the period of 1999-2017, more than 50 million Euros were invested into the development and reconstruction of the brewery, as well as the upgrade of the production processes. In 2015, by connecting the adjacent land, many historic territories were returned to the brewery. The size of the brewery expanded 5 times.
In 2017, „Turbinų“ street (previously „Bravoro“ / „Brewery“) was given the name „I. B. Volfo ir F. Engelmano“. In 2017, in the reconstructed first floor of the principal building a mini brewery was established.
Brands
Beer
- "VOLFAS ENGELMAN"
- "1410"
- "HORN"
- "FORTAS"
Cider
- "FIZZ"
- "SHERWOOD"
Alcohol cocktails
- "LE COQ"
- "G:N"
Kvass
- "SMETONIŠKA GIRA"
- "VOLFAS ENGELMAN IMPERIAL GIRA"
Energy drinks
- "DYNAMI:T"
- "BCAA VITAMINERAL PERFORMANCE"
Soft drinks
- "VOLFAS ENGELMAN FASSBRAUSE"
- "KANE'S"
- "AURA"
- "SAKMĖ"
Works cited
- Vilma Akmenytė, Giedrė Milerytė. Nuo I.B.Volfo ir Engelmano iki Ragučio. - K.:Kopa, 2008. - 208 p.: iliustr. - ISBN 978-9955-772-06-4