Four SPAR stores in Budapest will, initially on a trial basis, only offer barn, organic and free-range eggs, excluding cage eggs, from the end of January 2024. The latter have already been gradually phased out of the market, in line with EU efforts to end cage farming in the member states.

The proportion of barn, organic and free-range eggs sold in SPAR stores has gradually increased over the last decade, while the proportion of caged eggs has decreased. While e.g. in 2014, 2.24 percent of all eggs sold were in the organic category, by this year the share has doubled. The same is true for free-range eggs which have been available in SPAR stores for four years: their share has quadrupled from 0.96 percent in 2020 to nearly 4 percent of all eggs sold in 2023. The proportion of eggs from barn production has also increased dramatically, from nine out of every 100 eggs sold 10 years ago to three times that number today.

“Our supermarkets in MOM Park in Budapest, Stop Shop on Hűvösvölgyi út, the Rózsakert shopping centre on Gábor Áron út and the SPAR supermarket on Péterhegyi lejtő in District XI, will offer only barn, organic and free-range eggs from 2024, in a pilot programme. During the recent years, our company has been continuously reducing the proportion of cage eggs, in order to approach the EU target,” explained Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

The range of eggs will continue to be extensive in the four designated stores, with 16 types of barn, organic and free-range products. All eggs distributed in SPAR stores come from reliable local producers. In order to allow producers, suppliers and consumers to adapt, SPAR Hungary is gradually moving towards barn, organic and free-range eggs.

Marking its 170th anniversary, the Kőbánya-based company rolls out a HUF 100 Billion development program

A groundbreaking HUF 100 billion development program, spearheaded by Asahi Group Holdings and Asahi Europe & International, promises to fortify the longevity of Dreher Breweries. Building on previous years’ investments, this newly unveiled multi-year initiative will elevate the entire beer production process. It aims not only to augment capacity and efficiency but also to fulfill the company’s rigorous sustainability objectives.

The change in ownership and management in Hungary in 2017 marked a pivotal point in the brewery’s evolution. Aligning with Asahi’s international and European strategy, the “Dreher to Dreher” philosophy was cultivated, emphasizing premiumization and harmonizing tradition with modernity in operations, product development, and corporate culture, reminiscent of the nationalization in Hungary’s communist era in 1948. Six years of meticulous developmental efforts have solidified market positions, increased employee well-being and satisfaction, optimized corporate operations, and bolstered profitability, thereby setting the stage for future investments.

“Next year, as we celebrate the 170th anniversary of the establishment of Dreher Breweries, we are reminded that our rich historical tradition, and being a four-generation workplace is not merely a source of pride, but also a testament to the responsibility, for all a responsibility for all of us, who work for the present and future of the company,” stated Gábor Békefi, CEO of Dreher Breweries. “The confidence placed in us by Asahi Group Holdings and Asahi Europe & International, manifested through our professional and business accomplishments, enables us to undertake the most substantial investment in the Hungarian beer industry to date. If we can continue to meet the Group’s business expectations and deliver on the milestones we have set, we can use this HUF 100 billion to truly build a long-term future for the factory and our employees.”

Like its predecessors, the new program will remain true to the “Dreher to Dreher” philosophy, intertwining innovation with the preservation of Hungarian beer production traditions. The 170th-anniversary celebrations next year will run concurrently with the construction and modernization projects, featuring special events at the brewery’s iconic sites and its museum. The management remains dedicated to the enduring preservation of historic buildings and unique industrial assets, paralleling their commitment to preserving the Dreher museum’s brewery relics.

The first milestone: HUF 30 billion for a sustainable manufacturing chain

Beer production traditionally involves six major steps: brewing, fermentation, conditioning, filtration, pasteurization, and bottling. The investments made over the last two years, coupled with those recently announced, span several processes. Last year, as part of a HUF 4.6 billion modernization series, compressors and filtration equipment were replaced. This spring, the efficiency of pasteurization and decanting increased with the installation of one of the most advanced aluminum can lines available, at a total cost of HUF 7 billion.

From 2023 to 2026, the company’s experts will focus on the first milestone of the HUF 100 billion investment planned for the next decade, allocating a budget of around HUF 30 billion. One of the inaugural projects is the construction of a part of the new energy center to serve all departments of the plant. This center will support not only capacity growth, but also the company’s ambitious sustainability goals. During this period, the fermentation and conditioning stages in the cellars will undergo a complete renewal, involving the replacement of tanks and the introduction of new technologies, which involves the continuous development of the skills and knowledge of the company’s employees.

On the 7^th of March the Budapest Stock Exchange (BÉT), the Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF) and the Institute of Directors (IoD) have signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with which they support diversity in the decision-making bodies of domestic companies. Several organizations expressed their support for the initiative and joined as signatories: the British Chamber of Commerce in Hungary, the French-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Hungarian Asof sociation of Executives, Joint Venture Association, the Netherlands-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, and the Women in Energy association.

The Memorandum of Understanding is intended to promote the European Parliament’s 2022 directive in Hungary, according to which by July 2026, more than 40% of the decision-making bodies (in terms of all director positions) of large EU companies listed on the stock exchange must be filled by the underrepresented gender.

The main goal of the Memorandum of Understanding is to build a broad alliance with the participation of organizations supporting the domestic business sphere. The initiators support the joining of other organizations to the MoU—which is, ultimately, meant to raise the efficiency of the decision-making bodies of domestic companies to an even higher level—as well as commit themselves to equal opportunities and diversity, and launch programs to achieve these goals. The HBLF X Mentor Executive program prepares newly appointed board members and partners or candidates by providing mentorship and professional workshops to the participants. With a premium workshop on stock market presence, the BÉT will contribute to the program from 2024 as well. The organizations joining the initiative also offer several programs supporting the promotion of equality in a corporate setting: such as the Gender Equality in the Workplace event of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hungary, the Leaders in Stilettos event series of the French-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Women@DUIHK women’s network of the German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Women Leaders for Society! campaign of the Hungarian Association of Executives, the diversity and equal opportunities event series of the Netherlands-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, the mentor program and regional Gender Diversity reports of the Women in Energy association, or the efforts of the Joint Venture Association to achieve a 50-50% gender balance in the composition of board and management.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Richárd Végh, CEO, and István Máté-Tóth, Deputy CEO, on behalf of the Budapest Stock Exchange, Andrea Istenes Solti, President of the HBLF and Kinga Daradics, President of the IoD.

https://www.bet.hu/                                                             https://hblf.hu/      

Stork nesting boxes to be installed at more than 100 sites.

E.ON is taking great effort to make its network safer for birds via an investment of hundreds of millions of forints into infrastructure that protects thems, including the installation of nesting boxes to protect storks.

Nest holders being installed on utility poles by the energy firm will help storks breed safely. This season, more than 100 new nest boxes will also be installed, most of them in Baranya, Tolna and Somogy counties. Nests which have been damaged, or collapsed during previous storms, will be demolished and rebuilt with reinforcements. On the nest supports provided by E.ON, the National Parks’ nature keepers reinforce the nest base with a flexible wicker base to make the nest attractive for the birds.

Storks like to build their nests, which can weigh several kilogrammes, up to a metre high,which poses a threat to both the birds and the power grid. With E.ON’s help, conservation experts can ensure that the birds can nest more safely, while the power supply is also maintained. Via the new nest boxes, there are now more than 3,000 nesting sites for stork pairs on E.ON’s electricity poles in Transdanubia and Pest County this year. At the largest landfill site in Pest County, a favourite feeding ground for storks, cable lines will be laid underground.

To protect storks and birds of prey, such as bloodhounds, hawks, or owls, E.ON has continued its network upgrades to ensure that elements around nests, hunting and feeding areas are bird-friendly during the autumn-winter season, as it usually does at this time of year. The use of covered insulation, long-span insulators, bird perches and wing splays allows raptors to use the posts as safe perches for stalking their prey. The energy company is also installing new nesting boxes for the saker falcon, the Bird of the Year in 2024.

The precise areas where intervention is needed to benefit birds are determined jointly by E.ON, the relevant national parks, and the Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society (MME).

Bird-friendly network projects are ongoing throughout the year, and in recent months alone E.ON has carried out such network interventions at more than 100 sites. Financed entirely by the energy company, bird protection upgrades for the 2023-24 season will cost hundreds of millions of forints within   E.ON Hungária Group’s territory.