The History
Since its founding in 1890, the company now known as Mahou San Miguel has been dedicated to brewing the finest beer in Spain. Originally established as ‘Hijos de Casimiro Mahou’ by siblings Alfredo, Carolina, Enrique, and Luis Mahou Solana, the brewery had humble beginnings in the streets of Madrid. In 1957, the company was able to bounce back from the devastating effects of the Spanish Civil War and World War II. They gained new life and a new name with it, Mahou, S.A. Their popularity grew so quickly that expansion was necessary, and in 1961 a new production centre was built on the outskirts of Madrid. The new brewery, Paseo Imperial, began producing its first batch of beer in 1962 and continued to exceed production estimates throughout the 1960’s. Demand continued to grow steadily warranting the need for yet another brewery. Thus, in 1990 construction began at the Alovera Brewery which became operational in 1993. At this time, the brand had a firm foothold in the Spanish market but remained domestic to Spain.
In 2000, Mahou acquired another Spanish brewing company, San Miguel. The purchase and merging of the two companies created the first 100% Spanish beer company. The new brand was launched the following year followed by the introduction of innovative products such as organic beer. 2004 and 2007 saw more acquisitions and expansion when the companies Cervezas Anaga and Cervezas Alhambra were purchased respectively. 2012 marked yet another milestone for the brewery when they struck a deal with an Indian company to distribute products within the United Kingdom. This move would be the first time their products were to be produced for an international market. Two years later, Mahou San Miguel acquired that same Indian brewery, Arian Breweries and Distilleries, establishing its first subsidiary outside of Spain.
The Company Today
Today the company continues to be entirely owned and operated by the family. Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, the company has corporate offices in both Madrid and Barcelona. Additionally, there are numerous production centers located in Alovera, Burgos, Llieda, Málaga, Candelaria, Granada, Córdoba, Solán de Cabras, Los Villares, and Rajasthan, India. With the help of 2,500 employees, Mahou San Miguel is leading the way in the Spanish brewing industry.
The brewery has a long-term sustainability plan stemming from continuous positive financial performance, environmental activities, and social actions. To ensure the utmost quality of their products they have adopted Quality and Food Safety Integrated Management System, in accordance with international standards. Obviously, they intend to produce their products with the highest standards of quality and hygiene and provide the best possible service to the customers. Likewise, they keep a strong commitment to the environment and ensure that their facilities, products, and services meet current legislation and other regulations that promote the safety of the environment. All the while they are looking to continue their expansion into untapped regions within the marketplace. The company differentiates itself with its involvement with Spanish culture, music, athletics, and fashion. For instance, their brand is affiliated with several museums and educational institutions as well as being sponsors of sports teams including Real Madrid, members of the Spanish Basketball Association, and the San Miguel Traineras Rowing League.
Values, Mission, Vision:
Mahou San Miguel lists the following as its core values: openness, trust, excellence, integrity, collaboration, commitment, and service. These are the values that are essential to the success of their mission. The mission of, “being the leading independent brewer group in the Spanish market, with an international outlook, renowned for producing and marketing benchmark and high quality products, committed to generating sustainable value for the community and our shareholders.”
The company’s