Beer consumption in Bulgaria in April 2003 reached the value of 31.4 million litres the fugure nearly equal to the consumption for the whole first quarter of 2003 (31.8 million litres). Bulgarian analysts attributed the increase with the warmer weather. “Pessimistic forecasts of stagnation in the branch in the first quarter of 2003, when beer consumption had dropped by 15% year-on-year, are replaced with optimistic expectations for an increase of several percent,” experts said.

The top position is occupied by Zagorka brewery, owned by Brewinvest, a joint venture between Greece's Hellenic Bottling and Dutch brewing group Heineken NV. Zagorka brewery sold 26.345 million litres of bee and produced 26.042 million litres. Kamenitza brewery, owned by Belgian beer company Interbrew, produced the largest quantity of beer, 30.9 million litres, but sold 24.717 million liters. Bulgarians have drunk some 75 million litres of beer from January to April 2003.

30 May, 2003