| Extra info | Praya Bhirom Bhakdi established a successful ferry business in 1910, carrying people across the Chao Praya River. In 1929, the government built Memorial Bridge, the first bridge connecting Bangkok and Thonburi, commemorating 150th anniversary of Bangkok and the Chakri Dynasty. Praya Bhirom foresaw that with more bridges being built, people would use less ferry service as they can cross the river in their own cars. He looked for a new business venture, and on meeting Mr. Eisenhoffer of the Paul Pickenpack Store,he settled on beer. He then submitted a proposal to built Thailand's very first brewery in 1931. On 4 August, 1934 Praya Bhirom Bhakdi registered Boon Rawd Brewery. The date is regarded as the official birth of Boon Rawd, and its anniversaries are celebrated on this day. King Prajadhipok visited the brewery site twice to see the building progress. Construction is completed in March, 1941 and in the same year, Boon Rawd Brewery launches the brands Golden Kite and Singha in July, which sell for 32 satang. Praya Bhirom Bhakdi’s efforts quickly bear fruit. A year and a half after the opening of Boon Rawd Brewery, 40 percent of the beer consumed in Thailand is brewed in Thailand. By 1950, sixty percent of the country’s beer market belongs to Boon Rawd. In 1970, Boon Rawd undergoes major expansion. The company’s grounds extend from 3.6 acres to 22.8 acres. IN 1989, Boon Rawd began exporting Singha Beer.
Singha (Thai: correctly pronounced sing, but commonly pronounced sing-ha, reflecting the Latin spelling) is a 5% alcohol-by-volume (abv) pale lager produced by Singha Corporation Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Boon Rawd Brewery. The Singha is a powerful mythological lion, found in ancient Hindu and Thai stories. The royal warrant was given on 25 October 1939, and Boon Rawd is the only brewery permitted to display the royal Garuda on the bottleneck.
Boon Rawd bought two German breweries at Hartmannsdorf and Mittweida, Saxony in 1994. Singha beer is brewed in Germany by Schlossbrauerei Au-Hallertau under licence from Singha Corporation Co., Ltd.
Beginning in September 2007, a 5.0% (abv) version of Singha replaced the 6.0% (abv) original. This new version, while still brewed in Thailand by Pathmthani Brewery Co Ltd, states on its label to have been brewed under the supervision of Singha Corporation Co Ltd, instead of Boon Rawd.
Beer production capacity is 1 billion litres per year. Until recently Singha was the best selling beer in Thailand, but is now challenged by Beer Chang, brewed by ThaiBev (formerly the Beer Thai Company). In 2007, Boon Rawd regained its number one spot in Thailand.
Singha has been available in the UK since April 2010 in supermarkets Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsburys, Asda and Morrisons, as well as in Thai restaurants. There are growing sales of Singha in bars, following the launch of draught Singha in 2011.
From March 2013, Singha beer will be produced at Carlsberg's Russian plant for distribution in European markets. Singha will also use any of eight Carlsberg plants in Asia for production.[3] This comes as part of an agreement to use each other's production facilities and markets. |
|