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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Belgian beer dispute hits supply | Belgian beer dispute hits supply |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Disaster may be brewing - or not - in beer-loving Belgium, where supplies of two of the country's most famous beers may be down to the last dregs. | Disaster may be brewing - or not - in beer-loving Belgium, where supplies of two of the country's most famous beers may be down to the last dregs. |
| An industrial dispute over planned job cuts means a blockade is threatening supplies of Stella Artois and Leffe. | An industrial dispute over planned job cuts means a blockade is threatening supplies of Stella Artois and Leffe. |
| A week-long blockade has stopped any beer from leaving the Leuven headquarters of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's biggest brewing company. | A week-long blockade has stopped any beer from leaving the Leuven headquarters of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's biggest brewing company. |
| Belgian supermarkets and bars have warned stocks are running low. | Belgian supermarkets and bars have warned stocks are running low. |
| The unions are protesting against the company's plans to cut more than 250 of 2,700 jobs in Belgium, and so far talks aimed at resolving the dispute have got nowhere. | The unions are protesting against the company's plans to cut more than 250 of 2,700 jobs in Belgium, and so far talks aimed at resolving the dispute have got nowhere. |
| But there is no need for beer-lovers to panic just yet, says the BBC's Dominic Hughes in Brussels: There are probably around 125 breweries in Belgium producing around 800 standard beers. | But there is no need for beer-lovers to panic just yet, says the BBC's Dominic Hughes in Brussels: There are probably around 125 breweries in Belgium producing around 800 standard beers. |
| Add in special one-off brews, and some experts believe there could be more than 8,000 beers. | Add in special one-off brews, and some experts believe there could be more than 8,000 beers. |
| No small beer | No small beer |
| Anheuser-Busch InBev announced this week a plan to cut 800 jobs across western Europe, 10% of its 8,000 workforce in the region. | Anheuser-Busch InBev announced this week a plan to cut 800 jobs across western Europe, 10% of its 8,000 workforce in the region. |
| Stella Artois is one of the firm's biggest-selling brands | Stella Artois is one of the firm's biggest-selling brands |
| The firm said the move was a response to falling beer sales, with the layoffs spread across Belgium, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. | The firm said the move was a response to falling beer sales, with the layoffs spread across Belgium, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. |
| The news triggered protests at the firm's brewery in the Belgian town of Leuven, where it also has its headquarters. | |
| Anheuser-Busch InBev was formed in 2008 when Belgium-based InBev bought Anheuser-Busch, the owner of Budweiser, and the largest brewer in the US. | Anheuser-Busch InBev was formed in 2008 when Belgium-based InBev bought Anheuser-Busch, the owner of Budweiser, and the largest brewer in the US. |
| InBev itself was formed in 2004 when Belgian Interbrew merged with Brazil's AmBev. | InBev itself was formed in 2004 when Belgian Interbrew merged with Brazil's AmBev. |