The Formation of Industrial Brewing and the Transfer of Knowledge and Demand in Mandatory Palestine

Abstract

This article traces the development of brewing and the transfer of knowledge in Mandatory Palestine. Brewing in Palestine proceeded under the watchful eye of the mandate government. Although the reluctance of the British to endorse local enterprises inhibited the progress of beer production in the first decade of the mandate, a thriving brewing industry began to prosper and expand in the latter half of the 1930s. The Palestine Brewery Ltd. exemplified this change. Soon after it started operations, the company gained public confidence and diversified its product range; its products circulated throughout the nation. The challenges by British firms notwithstanding, it gradually took the place of foreign beer in the Palestine market. The company pioneered new methods of communal advertising campaigns and attuned its operations more sensitively to the requirements of the day, elevating it to a symbol of business success and the national economy. Not only popular periodicals but also activities in public relations took on increased significance when it came to promoting products in the market. The demand by military forces allowed further expansion of the company, and the company transitioned into an unprecedented phase of prosperity during World War II. The differing fates of this company and its predecessors proved the primacy of political and social factors for the successful transfer of knowledge between Palestine and Europe.