Backus and Johnston
Encyclopedia
Backus and Johnston is the largest brewery
in Peru
, part of Grupo Empresarial Bavaria, which itself is part of the international SABMiller
group. Its main brewery is located in the Ate District
of Lima
. Backus, as owner of almost all brands of beer available in Peru, enjoys a de facto monopoly
over Peruvian beer consumption, although recently InBev
from Brazil
is trying to challenge the monopoly with their Brahma
. Besides beer, Backus also produces soft drinks and bottled water
.
in Lima
. In 1889, the two founders incorporated "The Backus and Johnston's Brewery Company Ltd" in London, and they transferred all their Peruvian brewery related assets to this new corporation in order to raise investment capital in the Joint Stock of London to continue their business growth. The founders continued as Managing Directors of the company for many years thereafter until Mr. Johnston left Peru in 1898 for family reasons, and Mr. Backus died in 1899. The company operated as a British corporation until 1954, when the company management decided to transfer the company assets and incorporation to Peru. At this time, "The Backus and Johnston's Brewery Company Ltd" was renamed as Cervecería Backus & Johnston S.A. In 1994 Backus and Johnston managed to take over its rival on the beer market, the National Beer Company Compañía Nacional de Cerveza S.A., formed in 1863 and owner of the Pilsen Callao
brand. In 1996 four breweries, including Backus and Johnston merged into one new company using the name Union of Peruvian breweries Backus and Johnston . In 2000 the company further expanded when the Brewery Company of Southern Peru (Cervesur) joined the union, making it owner of the popular Cusqueña brand. Since 2005 Backus and Johnston is part of the SABMiller
group of breweries. The company still owns the prominently visible brewery in the Rímac district.
, while the other breweries are still located in the parts of Peru they used to serve before the take-over by Backus and Johnston.
Backus and Johnston and Grupo Empresarial Bavaria own most of the popular beer brands in Peru, including: San Juan, a 5% abv
pale lager
. San Juan is brewed in the Backus brewery located in Pucallpa
. Before the take-over by Backus, San Juan was brewed by Cervecería San Juan S.A.A. This brewery was founded on 2 September 1971 in Pucallpa
in the Ucayali Region
and named after San Juan Bautista.
Arequipeña was a rival product to Cusqueña and Cristal until the take-over by Grupo Empresarial Bavaria. Arequipeña is brewed in the Cervecera del sur del Peru brewery located in Sacha near Arequipa
, Peru
.
Barena; Cristal
Cusqueña is a light lager, or a dark malted beer. Some label designs were created by Barry Laughlin.
Backus and Johnston also has a license to import Birra Peroni
Nastro Azzurro in Peru.
and Guaraná, a beverage containing guaraná
fruit.
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, part of Grupo Empresarial Bavaria, which itself is part of the international SABMiller
SABMiller
SABMiller plc is a global brewing and bottling company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's second-largest brewing company measured by revenues and is also a major bottler of Coca-Cola. Its brands include Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell...
group. Its main brewery is located in the Ate District
Ate District
Ate, also known as Ate-Vitarte, is a district of the Lima Province in Peru. Located in the eastern part of the province, it is one of the districts that comprise the city of Lima.-Geography:The district has a total land area of 77.72 km²...
of Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
. Backus, as owner of almost all brands of beer available in Peru, enjoys a de facto monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
over Peruvian beer consumption, although recently InBev
InBev
InBev is a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. The company existed independently for several years - since the merger between Interbrew and AmBev and until the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch. InBev has operations in over 30 countries and sales in over 130 countries...
from Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
is trying to challenge the monopoly with their Brahma
Brahma (beer)
Brahma is a Brazilian beer, originally made by the Companhia Cervejaria Brahma which was founded in 1888. The brands are now owned by Anheuser–Busch InBev, formed by a merger between Anheuser–Busch and InBev...
. Besides beer, Backus also produces soft drinks and bottled water
Bottled water
Bottled water is drinking water packaged in plastic or glass water bottles. Bottled water may be carbonated or not...
.
History
The Backus and Johnston brewery was founded in 1879 by Mr. Jacob Backus and Mr. John Howard Johnston in the Rímac DistrictRímac District
Rímac is a district in the Lima Province, Peru. It lies directly to the north of downtown Lima, to which it is connected by six bridges over the Rímac River. The district also borders the Independencia, San Martín de Porres, and San Juan de Lurigancho districts...
in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
. In 1889, the two founders incorporated "The Backus and Johnston's Brewery Company Ltd" in London, and they transferred all their Peruvian brewery related assets to this new corporation in order to raise investment capital in the Joint Stock of London to continue their business growth. The founders continued as Managing Directors of the company for many years thereafter until Mr. Johnston left Peru in 1898 for family reasons, and Mr. Backus died in 1899. The company operated as a British corporation until 1954, when the company management decided to transfer the company assets and incorporation to Peru. At this time, "The Backus and Johnston's Brewery Company Ltd" was renamed as Cervecería Backus & Johnston S.A. In 1994 Backus and Johnston managed to take over its rival on the beer market, the National Beer Company Compañía Nacional de Cerveza S.A., formed in 1863 and owner of the Pilsen Callao
Pilsen Callao
Pilsen Callao is a Peruvian beer originally from Callao that was first brewed in 1863. The original Brewery of ¨Compañia Nacional de Cerveza¨ was in Callao's district of Bellavista. Upon being bought by Backus and Johnston it was sold and recently demolished to build a Super Market Tottus...
brand. In 1996 four breweries, including Backus and Johnston merged into one new company using the name Union of Peruvian breweries Backus and Johnston . In 2000 the company further expanded when the Brewery Company of Southern Peru (Cervesur) joined the union, making it owner of the popular Cusqueña brand. Since 2005 Backus and Johnston is part of the SABMiller
SABMiller
SABMiller plc is a global brewing and bottling company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's second-largest brewing company measured by revenues and is also a major bottler of Coca-Cola. Its brands include Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell...
group of breweries. The company still owns the prominently visible brewery in the Rímac district.
Breweries
Backus owns breweries in various parts of Peru. Its main brewery is located in LimaLima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, while the other breweries are still located in the parts of Peru they used to serve before the take-over by Backus and Johnston.
- Ate brewery in LimaLimaLima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
(now Cristal, Cusqueña, Barena and Polar ) - Motupe brewery in ChiclayoChiclayoChiclayo is the capital city of the Lambayeque region in northern Peru. It is located 13 kilometers inland from the Pacific coast and 770 kilometers from the nation's capital, Lima...
(now Cristal and Pilsen Callao) - Trujillo brewery in TrujilloTrujillo, PeruTrujillo, in northwestern Peru, is the capital of the La Libertad Region, and the third largest city in Peru. The urban area has 811,979 inhabitants and is an economic hub in northern Peru...
(former Pilsen Trujillo, now Cristal, Pilsen Callao and Pilsen Trujillo) - Arequipa brewery in ArequipaArequipaArequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
(former Arequipeña, now Arequipeña, Cristal, Cusqueña and Pilsen Callao) - Cusco brewery in CuscoCuscoCusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
(former Cusqueña, now Cristal, Pilsen Trujillo, Cusqueña and Pilsen Callao) - Pucallpa brewery in PucallpaPucallpaPucallpa is a city in eastern Peru located on the banks of the Ucayali River, a major tributary of the Amazon River. It is the capital of the Ucayali region, the Coronel Portillo Province and the Calleria District....
(former San Juan, now Cristal, Pilsen Callao and San Juan)
Beers
ABV
ABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
pale lager
Pale lager
Pale lager is a very pale to golden-coloured beer with a well attenuated body and a varying degree of noble hop bitterness. The brewing process for this beer developed in the mid 19th century when Gabriel Sedlmayr took pale ale brewing techniques back to the Spaten Brewery in Germany and applied it...
. San Juan is brewed in the Backus brewery located in Pucallpa
Pucallpa
Pucallpa is a city in eastern Peru located on the banks of the Ucayali River, a major tributary of the Amazon River. It is the capital of the Ucayali region, the Coronel Portillo Province and the Calleria District....
. Before the take-over by Backus, San Juan was brewed by Cervecería San Juan S.A.A. This brewery was founded on 2 September 1971 in Pucallpa
Pucallpa
Pucallpa is a city in eastern Peru located on the banks of the Ucayali River, a major tributary of the Amazon River. It is the capital of the Ucayali region, the Coronel Portillo Province and the Calleria District....
in the Ucayali Region
Ucayali Region
Ucayali is an inland region in Peru. Located in the Amazon rainforest, its name is derived from the Ucayali River. The regional capital is the city of Pucallpa.-Boundaries:...
and named after San Juan Bautista.
Arequipeña was a rival product to Cusqueña and Cristal until the take-over by Grupo Empresarial Bavaria. Arequipeña is brewed in the Cervecera del sur del Peru brewery located in Sacha near Arequipa
Arequipa
Arequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
.
Barena; Cristal
Cusqueña is a light lager, or a dark malted beer. Some label designs were created by Barry Laughlin.
- Pilsen CallaoPilsen CallaoPilsen Callao is a Peruvian beer originally from Callao that was first brewed in 1863. The original Brewery of ¨Compañia Nacional de Cerveza¨ was in Callao's district of Bellavista. Upon being bought by Backus and Johnston it was sold and recently demolished to build a Super Market Tottus...
- Pilsen TrujilloPilsen TrujilloPilsen Trujillo is a Peruvian brand of beer owned by Backus and Johnston. Pilsen Trujillo is sold in Glass bottles of 310 ml, 355 ml, 500 ml, 620 ml and in cans...
- Barena
- Malta PolarMalta PolarMalta Polar is a Peruvian Schwarzbier brewed by Backus and Johnston....
Backus and Johnston also has a license to import Birra Peroni
Birra Peroni
Peroni Brewery , is a brewing company, founded in Vigevano in Lombardia, Italy in 1846. It is now based in Rome and is owned by SABMiller....
Nastro Azzurro in Peru.
Soft drinks
The soft drinks owned by Backus include Viva, a beverage similar to Inca KolaInca Kola
Inca Kola is a soft drink created in Peru in 1935 by British immigrant José Robinson Lindleyhttp://www.urosario.edu.co/urosario_files/12/12e72337-b358-45ac-9228-bb9ba34ffa2c.pdf...
and Guaraná, a beverage containing guaraná
Guarana
Guarana , Paullinia cupana, syn. P. crysan, P. sorbilis) is a climbing plant in the maple family, Sapindaceae, native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guarana features large leaves and clusters of flowers, and is best known for its fruit, which is about the size of a coffee bean...
fruit.
- GuaranáGuaraná (beverage)Guaraná is a Peruvian brand of soft drink owned by Backus and Johnston and sold in Peru. Guaraná is a soft-drink containing guarana fruit and is sold in PET bottles of 500 ml. In 2007 the drink had 5% of the Peruvian soft drinks market, and was relaunched with a new bottle and label and a light...
- VivaViva (beverage)Viva is a Peruvian brand of soft drink owned by Backus and Johnston and sold in Perú. Viva is a rival product to Inca Kola sharing the same characteristics such as the yellow color...
- Saboré (this product line was terminated in 2008)
Bottled water
Bottled water is produced under the brand names Cristalina Backus and San Mateo.- San Mateo
- San Mateo is a Peruvian brand of bottled waterBottled waterBottled water is drinking water packaged in plastic or glass water bottles. Bottled water may be carbonated or not...
owned by Backus and Johnston and sold in Peru. San Mateo is sold in PETPolyethylene terephthalatePolyethylene terephthalate , commonly abbreviated PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P, is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in synthetic fibers; beverage, food and other liquid containers; thermoforming applications; and engineering resins often in combination...
bottles of 600 ml.- Cristalina Backus