English

TheoBrands is Denmark's oldest beer importer and has since the beginning worked intensively to introduce and spread a more interesting selection of beers on the market. In 1965, when Europe were divided in Eastern and Western Europe by the iron curtain, the company obtained the distribution of the world famous beer brand Pilsner Urquell – the original pilsner brewed for the first time in October 1842 in Pilsen (Plzen, Czech Republic).

In Denmark, the beer market in the sixties was completely different and narrower compared to today's huge diverse range of beer varieties, brands and breweries. TheoBrands therefore saw it as a visionary mission to spread a better and more interesting selection of beers to the Danish consumer. The start was difficult because the consumer had already Carlsberg, you know “Probably the best beer in the World” and a few other local beers to choose from, but there were no imports or special ales, stouts, wheat beers or others. However, slowly TheoBrands with the import beers got hold on a small consumer group, which grew bigger and bigger, year-by-year, in the quest for better and different beers.

Pilsner Urquell should not stand alone in our range and were soon followed in 1987 by Heineken and Murphy and later a major expansion with Chimay Trappist beer, St. Feuillien Christmas beer, Erdinger Weissbier and many other interesting beers, which were marketed under TheoBrands’ concept of "Beer from all over the world."

Not only was TheoBrands the first true supplier of imported beer in Denmark, but also the importer who slowly but focused built the brands and knowledge of the good beer until other importers and later Danish microbreweries entered the market. TheoBrands has always had a honest and sober approach to the market, suppliers, customers and competitors – even when fine exclusivities like Heineken and Erdinger Weissbier went for other distributors.

With a strong product range and a solid customer relationship, we have today a reputation as one of the country's leading independent beer importer. Our products are distributed to wider range of cafés and bars, and for some products as well to retail chains across the country.

Our office is located in Herlev about 25 minutes’ drive from Copenhagen Center, and from our warehouse in Hvidovre we distribute our products daily across the country. Today we hold a staff of eight persons in administration and sales plus an external sales force who cover all the retail shops.

Mr. Kurt Vendelbo founded the company in 1963, with sales of duty-free goods to airlines, ferry and ship dealers in Denmark. Alongside the domestic beer department, the company was for many years, one of the largest suppliers to the duty-free industry with tobacco, perfume, chocolate, beer and spirits sales. With the closing of the intra-EU duty-free sales in 1999, most of the duty-free product groups were deselected. Since 1997 Jan Lau Vendelbo has operated the company with the good support of wife and dedicated staff.