How is it possible to eliminate a company's regular annual loss of half a billion forints in a short time through good management, and also win the county's commercial award? Among other things, we asked the owner of Pécsi Sörfőzde Zrt., Dr. Zoltán Szemerey, the chairman of the board of directors of the limited liability company, about this.
– What brought us the award from the Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, successful financial management?
– Primarily our change of strategy, but the market situation has also developed favorably in the meantime. The previous loss was primarily caused by price competition, but in recent years, the sensitivity of customers to quality has increased significantly. The demand for special beers is constantly increasing, which is favorable for small businesses, including the Pécsi Brewery in its category. That is why we moved towards diversity and appeared on the market with new premium-category beers. So what many people did not think of, we did: consumers were grateful for quality beer, even at a slightly higher price.
– It is a basic truth that good beer requires good water. For half a century, Pécsi Szalon was competing for the title of the country's best beer, so there is no problem with water. What happened that the drink, which is popular throughout the country, has declined?
– This was caused by the previously mentioned price war, in which smaller factories were at a disadvantage in the domestic beer market compared to those producing as cheaply and in as large quantities as possible.
– When they took over the brewery, they promised new production technologies. What has come of this?
– Since then, gluten-free, cold-hopped and wheat beers have been produced in Pécs, and their market reception has been excellent. For example, this year we launched the Cherry Ale beer. In fact, we plan to experiment not only with beer, but also with other types of drinks.
– Is Sörissa the head of the brewery?
– I have been since I’ve been here, and I particularly like three types. If you want a light drink, Szalon is very reliable. And among the top-fermented ones, I really like Pécsi Premium Unfiltered Pils and Pécsi APA.
– How does the president of the company relax?
– I enjoy reading Hungarian fiction, historical and documentary novels, and I often listen to classical music. Unfortunately, swimming in Pécs is only worth it in the summer, outdoors, but I try to satisfy my lack of exercise with long walks.
Returned to Hungary as a financial investor
Dr. Zoltán Szemerey was born in Kecskemét in 1952. He graduated from high school in Budapest, studied electrical engineering at the BME, where he also earned a degree in engineering and economics. He worked at Ganz Electric Power Works and the Power Plan, and received his doctorate in Karlsruhe in 1987. In Zurich, he was the vice president of the power plant sector of the ABB concern, responsible for power plant machinery production in Eastern Europe. He subsequently became the managing director of ABB Hungary, then the CEO of the Hungarian-American Venture Fund, and has been a financial investor ever since. He bought Pécsi Sörfőzde Zrt. in 2017 with his brother, Tamás Szemerey.
