The video, which originally appeared online last Thursday, shows a uniformed worker climbing into a large vat of malt, where he then appears to relieve himself.
The tag on the video identifies the location of the clip as “Tsingtao beer No. 3 factory” (although perhaps No. 1 would have been a more fitting location for the incident). The plant is located in Pingdu, a city in Shandong province, China.
The video went viral on Chinese social media platform Weibo, receiving gambia telemarketing database tens of millions of views, where it quickly caught the attention of Tsingtao Brewery Co.
Tsingtao in damage contro
Tsingtao has released a statement saying that the company attaches “great importance” to the video.
“We reported the incident to the police at the earliest opportunity, and public security organisations are involved in the investigation,” the statement explains.
According to the state-owned outlet National Business Daily, both the worker who allegedly urinated into the vat and the individual who filmed the incident have been detained by police.
Tsingtao assures fans of its popular beers that they can rest easy.
“At present, the batch of malt in question has been completely sealed. The company continues to strengthen its management procedures and ensure product quality,” the statement reads.
“The production and operation of the company are normal in every respect.”
‘Pee-gate’ damages Tsingtao’s brand
But Tsingtao’s reassurances might not be enough to completely renew taste for the brand’s beers.
In what has been dubbed ‘pee-gate’, many local restaurants and bars in China and Korea, where Tsingtao is the country’s number one beer import, have stopped serving the popular beer.
Tsingtao’s share price fell from 81.86 yuan on 19 October to a low of 75.60 yuan on 23 October on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. It has since rebounded to 80.45 yuan.
The incident provoked a number of outraged responses from Chinese Weibo users.
“Is it the first time, though?” asked one worried user.
“Good thing I don’t drink beer – but it’s unimaginable if this brand is finished because of this,” commented another.
“I’ve always said the beer here is like horse pee,” quipped one user. “Turns out I was wrong.”
Tsingtao is China’s second largest brewery. Sold in more than 50 countries worldwide, its products account for 15 percent of domestic market share, and represent half of China’s national beer exports.
Read about the campaign released by Heineken, another beer brewer, to encourage product nicknames here.Channelling Victor Frankenstein, Donut King has partnered with Haribo to assemble the latest culinary creation: an ultimate range of ‘Spooktacular’ Halloween doughnuts.
The cursed creations merge Donut King’s renowned doughnuts with Haribo’s famous lollies, which decorate the treats and imitate spooky spiders and worms.
“NO TRICKS, JUST TREATS!” is the official tagline advertising the limited time ‘Spooktacular’ range.
“These doughnuts are all topped with Haribo’s world-famous Vulcano Fizz or Sour S’ghetti lollies to bring you a frighteningly tasty mix of sweet and sour goodness this spooky season,” the company says on its website.
Haribo helps Donut King offer even sweeter treats for Halloween
When people think of Halloween, doughnuts certainly aren’t the first sweet treat which comes to mind. I’ve certainly never been offered doughnuts while trick or treating.
But by partnering with Haribo, whose confectionery has a strong, longtime association with Halloween, Donut King is capitalising on the spooky season to promote its own products.
Donut King is making the most of the lead up to Halloween: on the superstitious ‘Friday the 13th’ this month, @donutking_au posted an image of the limited range on Instagram.
The range of ‘Spooktacular’ Halloween doughnuts offered all lean into the Halloween theme:
‘HARIBO Spookberry Sour S’ghetti Ring’
‘HARIBO S’lime Sour S’ghetti Ring’
‘Spookberry & Custard Spider Ball w/HARIBO Vulcano Fizz’
‘S’lime & Custard Spider Ball w/HARIBO Vulcano Fizz’
‘Spookberry Spider Ring w/HARIBO Vulcano Fizz’, and
‘S’lime Spider Ring w/HARIBO Vulcano Fizz’.
The ‘Spooktacular’ Halloween doughnuts are for a limited time only from 9-31 October 2023 or while stocks last, according to Donut King.
The offer is only available from participating stores, which you can locate on Donut King’s website – if you dare!
Read about another noteworthy collaboration here.