Dreher (part of Asahi Europe & International) is one of Hungary's oldest established breweries. The company, which has evolved steadily through 4 generations of the Dreher family, became a role model in premium beers and continuous innovation on 5 continents by the beginning of the 20th century. Throughout the storms of history Dreher endured several serious challenges, but it was able to successfully preserve its existence and dominant role. It received many titles and awards for its brand, products, and capabilities. With the communist nationalization in 1948, the quality approach was replaced by a focus on simpler needs and mass production. The privatization of the 1990s brought the introduction of new products and the refurbishment of the factory, but the focus remained on the high-volume products.
The change of ownership and management in Hungary in 2017 brought a new direction to the brewery. In line with Asahi Group Holding’s values and AEI’ strategy, the "Dreher to Dreher" philosophy was born, focusing on premiumization; a combination of tradition and innovation, as had been in place done before nationalization. The first signs of this new strategy came in 2019: new packaging and a recipe for it’s flagship Dreher beer; a new design for the wider portfolio; continuous innovation in the plant, the reconstruction of Dreher Museum; and 2 comprehensive books on the company's history.
Years of integrated communication, building on the founding family and the company's rich tradition, have helped to reinforce the premium position of the product and the company's internal and external popularity. The new corporate philosophy, the company's history and its purpose also brought an unexpected development: the story of four generations of the Dreher family inspired the first novel from Hungary’s well known management consultant, Csaba Iglódi. The book, which combines real events with imagination, was consulted on by the Curator of Dreher Museum, and the book launch took place at the brewery in May 2023.
Alongside this, the Dreher story has been picked up by the biggest news portals including Forbes Hungary and terrestrial TV stations with headlines, such including “The 170-year-old story is a great inspiration for all of us living in the 21st century”.
If we bring the corporate philosophy and our purpose to life well and authentically, our meaningful connections can even inspire the wider local culture and the field of literature.
