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SAB LIMITED FAQs
Q: Sometimes when I pour a beer into a glass it forms a good head, but sometimes the beer looks flat. Is this because the quality of the beer is inconsistent?
If a glass is not 'beer clean', it could affect the head. Glasses should be rinsed with warm water to get rid of any soap residue and then left in the drying rack to dry - do not dry glasses with dish cloths as they leave fluff behind.
Q: What is the shelf life of a beer?
3 Months - more if stored in a cool dark place.
Q: Why does SAB not put a sell-by date on their products?
Beer is usually still good after more than three months if stored in ideal conditions. SAB therefore prints the date of manufacture on the neck of the bottle or the base of a can. This is the Julian date (ie the number is the day of the year in which the beer was manufactured). Most imported beers have a best before date which is 12 months after manufacture date.
Q: What is SAB doing to encourage commercial equity?
SAB embarked on an aggressive economic empowerment campaign during the 1980s in an effort to place a considerable portion of its business with black suppliers. The campaign attempted to alleviate historical inequalities and foster skills and training for disadvantaged individuals. By 2003, SAB was contracted to 1500 businesses run by previously disadvantaged people. The total value of these contracts was R640 million. By 2007, the total value of locally procured goods from commercial equity suppliers was R1,96 billion.
In its procurement, outsourcing and contract-awarding activities, SAB favours those companies who have demonstrated a tangible and deliverable commitment to black empowerment principles. SAB's definition of a BEE / HDSA Company, applied when dealing with vendors, is consistent with Government's own definition, as outlined in the Black Economic Empowerment Bill, passed in 2003.
The company's focus on outsourcing key services and creating wealth for new players is not new. As long ago as 1987, SAB introduced its owner-driver project, which saw former employees of SAB form their own companies to distribute SAB's product brands to the trade. There are now 250 owner-driver companies, distributing 60% of SAB's volumes to 41 depots nationwide.
Sustainable entrepreneurship is also demonstrated through SAB's Northern Cape black barley farmers programme, which supports over 160 emerging farmers.
SAB KickStart, one of the company's key Enterprise Development projects and one which deals with youth entrepreneurship, has equipped more than 22 500 young adults with business skills and provided many of them with seed capital to set up their own businesses. Since 1995 SAB has invested more than R38.5-million in this project and helped launch over 3 000 businesses. Many of these fledgling enterprises have grown into multi-million rand concerns employing scores of people.
Special procurement guidelines are made available to all suppliers to SAB. These guidelines extend those suppliers who currently fall within an Industry Charter, as well as those who do not. Ownership and control, as well as broad based empowerment, are considered.
Once government and the respective agencies agree on a common standard, rating suppliers, irrespective of whether they fall within a Charter or not, will become easier.
Q: What is SAB Ltd's HIV and Aids Policy?
SAB Ltd has addressed the issue of HIV and AIDS through a comprehensive intervention programme for several years. This programme includes:
- An extensive awareness campaign
- Voluntary testing
- Educating employees about the disease
- A life threatening disease policy
- Peer education focusing on behaviour and attitude change
- Counseling services
In November 2003, SAB launched its Awareness Counselling and Testing Campaign (ACT), a programme which offers free HIV/AIDS testing to all employees, and treatment for employees and up to three dependents each who test positive.
All results are completely confidential. Any employee who tests positive will not be discriminated against in any way. ACT is designed to encourage employees to discover their status early enough to start treatment, if this is necessary. Testing is done by a rapid blood test involving a simple prick of an employee's finger.
SAB Ltd pays for all testing, whether this is done internally at the company's occupational health clinics, or externally.
SAB also provides free anti-retrovirals to affected employees and up to three dependents each.
For more information see: Home > Corporate Responsibility > HIV/Aids on this website
Q: What are the chances of me finding a foreign object in my beer?
The odds against foreign objects becoming lodged in SAB's packaging run into many millions to one. All bottles are inspected electronically, using sophisticated light sources and camera technology before and after filling. Packs are continuously examined during the brewing and packaging process to ensure that SAB's rigorous quality standards are met.
Our manufacturing processes are amongst the most sophisticated and closely monitored to be found anywhere in the world and the chances of something like this happening are extremely remote.
SAB takes its reputation for customer service, consumer care and producing world class quality products very seriously. If any customer has any doubt about a product they have bought, SAB's policy is to ask for the container to be returned so that it can be analysed and investigated by the company's manufacturing experts, with a full and automatic refund to the customer concerned.
Consumers can also call our Customer Care Line on 0860 12 14 14.
Q: Are there any chemicals or additives in my beer?
Urban myths are popular in South Africa and one of these legends, while easy to disprove, nonetheless persists even amongst highly educated people: the legend of chemicals in beer.
During the past five years in particular, South African consumers have been increasingly conscious of the products they consume and particularly, natural ingredients. This follows international trends and we believe it's a good thing.
SAB Ltd does not use any chemicals in the brewing process. The brewing process is an entirely natural process which takes between 18 and 25 days and nothing can be done to make this faster.
All our beers, including Castle, are completely free of preservatives and additives.
Q: What is your position on using genetically modified organisms in your products?
During the 2004 financial year, SAB Ltd's holding company, conducted an initial review of the extent to which genetically modified organisms (GMOs) may be included in bought-in supplies anywhere in the world. The initial assessment is that few, if any, GMOs are currently used, but better systems need to be put in place, principally at supplier level, before they can present an accurate picture.
SABMiller accepts the need to remain abreast of technological developments in order to retain access to the most advanced information possible, and the company supports research in biotechnology to increase the knowledge base within this discipline.
As a global company, SABMiller will keep the issues around the use of genetically modified raw materials under constant review with all due recognition of consumer perceptions and concerns.
Q: What is the alcohol content of my beer?
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kJ/100ml |
Brand |
Alc % vol |
|
128kJ |
Castle Lite |
4.0 |
|
165kJ |
Miller Genuine Draft |
4.7 |
|
182kJ |
Pilsner Urquell |
4.4 |
|
130kJ |
Sterling Light Lager |
2.5 |
|
167kJ |
Castle Lager |
5.0 |
|
210kJ |
Castle Milk Stout |
6.0 |
|
176kJ |
Carling Black Label |
5.5 |
|
135kJ |
Hansa Pilsner |
4.5 |
|
230kJ |
Redd's Premium Cold |
4.5 |
|
230kJ |
Redd's Dry |
5.0 |
|
+- 230kJ |
Sarita |
5.5 |
|
+- 165kJ |
Hansa Marzen Gold |
5.2 |
|
245kJ |
Brutal Fruit |
4.4 |
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