Carlsberg Polska is suspending beer production as Anwil and Grupa Azoty have stopped supplying carbon dioxide, essential for brewing beer. According to the “Poradnik Handlowca” website, the company is counting on an immediate reaction from the government and indicates that a similar situation may affect many companies using carbon dioxide.

“The suspension of production by Anwil and Grupa Azoty will have a domino effect. The threat of halting beer production at our plants is real. No company stocks the carbon dioxide needed in the brewing process for an extended period. Azoty produces so-called raw CO2 from which our sub-suppliers produce liquid CO2 used for carbonation of all beverages, including beer. So, we are not alone in this,” says Beata Ptaszyńska-Jedynak of Carlsberg Polska.

According to Ptaszyńska-Jedynak, the suspension of production at Azoty means that the brewery’s sub-suppliers do not receive raw CO2 and cannot produce and supply liquid CO2. This, in turn, affects food manufacturers.

“You can have your own CO2 recovery plant, we have one at one of our breweries. However, not every company has such facilities. The problem will affect a larger group of beverage producers, but not only them, because raw CO2 is also used to make dry ice for transport and commercial cooling, and it is also used in the dairy industry for disinfection. The range is therefore much larger,’ assesses Beata Ptaszyńska- Jedynak.

The money.pl portal asked about the situation of other beer producers. Grupa Żywiec replied that it is analysing the situation, while Kompania Piwowarska informed that thanks to the technology for recovering carbon dioxide produced in the beer brewing process, it does not expect any interruption of supplies and will continue production as planned.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński