Friday, October 11, 2002

Fulton County enters partnership with Southwest African brewery

Fulton County and the southwest African nation of Namibia will help a Namibian corporation establish U.S.-based operations here in a venture that could lead to the construction of a brewery subsidiary.

Forming a business partnership through "cultural exchange and mutual cooperation," Gerry W. Munyama, Commercial Counselor for the Embassy of the Republic of Namibia, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Atlanta on September 19 with Sven Thieme, chairman and CEO of The Ohlthaver & List Group, and Joseph Johnson Jr., director of the Fulton County Economic Development Department.

Ohlthaver & List, a major holding company, owns Namibia Breweries, Ltd., which makes the popular "Windhoek" lager and light beers. Brewing is conducted according to an ancient German edict, the "Reinheitsgebot," that restricts ingredients to malt, hops, water and yeast, with no additives.

Munyama, Thieme and Ernst Ender, Namibia breweries marketing director, were the Fulton County Economic Development Department's guests during a two-day visit that included tours of the Atlanta History Center and The King Center, a dinner hosted by District 7 Commissioner William "Bill" Edwards,