Ursus Breweries

Ursus Breweries, a subsidiary of SABMiller plc, is one of the top brewers in Romania. The company is based in Bucharest and owns 4 breweries in Cluj-Napoca, Timişoara, Buzau and Braşov, employing over 1,700 people. Ursus Breweries’ brands are: Ursus, Timisoreana, Ciucas, Azuga, Stejar, Redd's, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell and Miller.

Ursus is one of the best-selling beers in Romania. The beer is advertised under the slogan Regele berii în România ("The King of Beers in Romania"). It is brewed in Buzau.

History

The first legal predecessor of the company was founded in 1878 in Mănăștur, which is now part of Cluj-Napoca. The company and the beer gained its name in 1927 when it demerged from Frigyes Czell si Fiii Grupa Dr. Wilhelm Czell SA, a large brewery group at the time. The brewery was nationalised in 1948, but privatised again during the 1990s, when SABMiller gained full control over the company.

In 1996 South African Breweries purchased Vulturul Buzau and, in 1997, Pitber Pitești and URSUS S.A. Cluj-Napoca. In 1998 Vulturul and Pitber became URSUS S.A. In 2001 URSUS S.A. purchased Bere Timișoreana S.A. In 2005 the company changed its name to Ursus Breweries S.A. In 2009 Ursus Breweries S.A. purchased Bere Azuga S.A.