On November 20, Ole Toft, Danish Ambassador to Türkiye & Azerbaijan, and a delegation from Denmark, including members of Parliament and representatives of Danish Industry, Danish business associations and companies, visited the Carlsberg Azerbaijan plant.
The guests were welcomed by Alius Antulis, Managing Director of Carlsberg Azerbaijan, and the Company's Board members.
At the meeting, Danish officials were informed of the Company's activity in Azerbaijan and the plant’s history, production lines, and products. They also toured the plant and became familiar with the production process on-site.
Alius Antulis, informed the guests that since the start of their activity in Azerbaijan in 2008, the Company has invested over AZN 65 mln in the beer industry development and pays about AZN 35-38 mln taxes annually:
"In 2021, Carlsberg Azerbaijan signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Economy, committing to invest AZN 25 mln between 2021 and 2025 in the localization of raw materials, exports, improvement of working conditions, and the development of the beer market. Azerbaijan remains a highly attractive investment destination for us, and we are currently developing an even more expansive investment plan for the future”.
Anne Højer Simonsen, Senior Director and Head of Climate Policy at Danish Industry: “It is businesses like Carlsberg that are responsible for implementing changes in practice and developing the solutions needed to achieve our goals. It is essential for policymakers and members of civil society to deepen their understanding of these transformative processes, and therefore greatly appreciated that Carlsberg has opened their doors to us.”
It should be noted that the Khirdalan brewery was commissioned in 1969, and became part of Carlsberg Group in 2008. Its current annual production capacity is 8 mln decaliters, and the company's products are available in over 12,500 outlets in Azerbaijan. Over its 16+ years of operation in Azerbaijan, the company has expanded its business and is increasing its investments in the country.
The company also implements the ‘Together Towards ZERO and Beyond’ sustainable development strategy in Azerbaijan. As part of this strategy, the company has implemented a range of sustainability initiatives while also enhancing operational efficiency in its breweries. In 2023, water consumption was reduced by 21.3%, and CO2 emissions decreased by 18.1%, both compared to 2015 levels.
