Mahou San Miguel celebrates six decades of shared history with Malaga

The beer company has honoured the Malaga-born actor Antonio Banderas in the International Profile category; Malaga city council, with a special award for Lifetime Achievement; Unicaja Baloncesto, for promoting Malaga through sport; and Manuel Villafaina, owner of the historic Chiringuito Los Manueles and president of the Andalusian federation of beach business owners, for promoting culture and shared leisure.

The event was opened by the CEO of Mahou San Miguel, Alberto Rodríguez-Toquero, who recalled that the company has always been committed to being part of the city and growing alongside it.

“Today we are celebrating this anniversary by recognising those who, through their talent and commitment, have helped to make it a national and international benchmark,” he said.

“Over the years, we have moved forward hand in hand with its citizens, institutions and business community, building long-term relationships that generate shared value.”

The International Profile award went to Antonio Banderas, in recognition of his contribution to raising the profile of Malaga beyond its borders and, at the same time, for his support for the city’s cultural and leisure development through initiatives such as the Teatro del Soho CaixaBank. After receiving the award, the actor and businessman recalled how a traumatic experience- a heart attack - made him focus on what really matters: the theatre and his native Malaga, which he regarded as his own personal Ithaca. “Returning to my homeland is one of the best decisions I have ever made,” he summed up.

The Lifetime Achievement Award has been presented to Malaga city council for its decisive role in transforming the city over recent decades and its contribution to making it a benchmark for innovation, culture, economic development and quality of life. The award was collected by the Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, who took to the stage to the tune of Aitana’s song Superestrella.

After recounting various anecdotes, he expressed his hope that the company would continue to grow and remain closely linked to Malaga’s development, because "the greater the strength and profit, the greater the capacity to help others".

In the Promoting Málaga through Sport category, the award went to Unicaja Baloncesto for its extraordinary contribution to raising the profile of Malaga both within and outside Spain through the values of sport.

The award was collected by the club’s president, Antonio Jesús López Nieto, who spoke of the 30 years they have spent working together. After recalling the various leaders the club has had over the years, he stated that “this is the present, but let us move forward together into the future”.

The award for the Promotion of Culture and Shared Leisure has been presented to Manuel Villafaina and the beach bar Los Manueles, an iconic establishment in Torremolinos that has been part of the Costa del Sol’s culinary and social identity for over half a century. The businessman, who admitted to being somewhat nervous given the calibre of the other award winners, recalled how San Miguel has always been committed to the province’s tourism development.

“Eating a skewer of grilled fish on the beach with a Mahou or San Miguel beer is a real treat,” he remarked.

These accolades form part of the events organised by Mahou San Miguel to celebrate the 60th anniversary of its production centre in Malaga, which opened in 1966 and is now the largest brewery in the province.

In addition to this industrial legacy, San Miguel is present in a number of venues, initiatives and events that form part of the city’s life, such as the Malaga Feria, Unicaja Basketball, the CaixaBank Soho Theatre and the Mahos hospitality association.

Following the presentation of the awards, the fourth vice-president of the provincial authority (Diputación), Cristóbal Ortega, thanked the brewery group for its commitment to the province.

“This company’s commitment to the city and the province has been clear and unequivocal,” he said. In his view, Mahou San Miguel “has contributed to change by creating jobs and generating wealth, and that is why we, the people of Malaga, have always felt it is part of our own community”.

The third vice-president and regional minister for the economy of the regional government of Andalucía, Carolina España, also attended the ceremony and remarked that the company is part of the city and of the many generations of Malaga residents who have visited it. “It is not just a company based in Malaga, but a company that is part of Malaga.”

Without wishing to quote too many figures, she pointed out that they employ more than 120 people and support more than 9,200 jobs, both directly and indirectly. Not only that, but they generate an economic impact of 255 million in the region and spend almost 70 million on purchases from Andalusian suppliers. “You are the backbone of the region, and these are the sort of companies we need,” she concluded.

The event was brought to a close by the Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, who returned to the stage to highlight the commitment of San Miguel - which has been at the forefront for years- and to wish them continued success along the same path so that they become “stronger and prouder of you all with every passing day”. The musical finale was provided by Dry Martina with their unforgettable song Málaga, al Son de la Buena Vida.