The hottest beer news in Cambodia right now is that Kingdom Beer has won the Le Monde Selection Gold medal from an international organisation in Belgium. Okay some of these awards have pretty lax process but I am happy to give some positive coverage to an Asian brewery that has really gone beyond the regional mass market beer making standards.
Most people either love it or hate it but their is no doubt that a lot of hard work has been put into making this beer, something the rest of the industry could take a lesson from.
Anyway here is the press blurb provided to you courtesy of the Kampuchean Associated Press (though I am sure they have just taken the original press release verbatim):
Phnom Penh April 25, 2011 AKP –
Kingdom Breweries (Cambodia) Ltd. has announced recently that “Kingdom Beer” won a gold medal from the International Institute for Quality Selection, Le Monde Selection, in Brussels, Belgium.
The announcement was made by Mr. Peter Brongers, CEO of Kingdom Breweries (Cambodia) Ltd., during a press conference held here last Friday.
It is the first time for Cambodia’s brewery to get such a prestige and award, he said, adding that the excited achievement is not only for Kingdom Breweries (Cambodia) Ltd, which has just started its business in the country six months ago, but for the entire Cambodian people.
People know that Cambodia is one of the best world’s tourist destinations, but they have never heard about Cambodia’s products and trademark, he said, stressing that this reward will reflect that Cambodian products and trademark can compete with other good products over the world.
The Awards Ceremony will be held in Brussels on May 24 in the presence of various ambassadors and many distinguished guests.
“Kingdom Beer” was among 100 different beers to join the international competition held in Brussels to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Independence Committee of the International Institute for Quality Selection.
Le Monde Selection was founded in 1961. Its mission is to test consumer products – beers, wines, soft drink, etc; – and grant them a bronze, silver, gold or grand gold quality award. –AKP