Cisk Export Premium Lager has won two international awards in the space of a week, the gold medal in the European Style Pilsner category of the World Beer Cup 2002 held by the Association of Brewers in Ohio in the United States, and the gold award in the international section of the prestigious Australian International Beer Awards.

This was announced by Farsons chief executive Louis Farrugia, at the company's 55th annual general meeting held at the Radisson SAS Baypoint yesterday evening.

Winning a gold award in an internationally-recognised beer competition was a significant achievement for Farsons, as a Maltese company, but winning two gold awards in a span of a few days was a feat which confirms Farsons' unwavering determination to consolidate its brewing capabilities and its search for excellent quality, he said.

"We are proud that international experts and judges of two of the world's most prestigious beer competitions across the globe have, once again, officially recognised what our loyal Maltese consumers have known for a long time," said Mr Farrugia.

"This is an honour for our company, for our employees and for the Maltese who believe that good products from a small island like Malta have the possibility not only to compete but win comfortably with much bigger markets and resources than us."

Cisk Export competed against some of the leading brands from Europe, Asia, America and Australia. Cisk Export has won other awards in the past.

Like Cisk Lager, which won the UK's Brewex Competition in 1980 and the Australian International Beer Awards in 1995, Cisk Export has consistently been performing very well with a gold medal in the 1998 Australian International Beer Awards among its most significant achievements.