Slovakia's third largest brewery, Topvar Topolcany, showed a SKK 115 mln profit in January September 2003, triple its profit during the same period last year, Interfax reported on November 5. Revenues from beer sales rose by SKK 72 mln to SKK 618 mln in 9M,while sales of soft drinks were worth SKK 53 mln. Topvar sold 545,700 hectoliters of beer in Jan-Sept, up by 10,000 hl year-on-year.

Exports grew by nearly 6,000 hl to 20,000 hl, accounting for 3.5 % of sales. Roughly 40 % of exports went to the Czech Republic. Other foreign customers included Hungary, Canada, Yugoslavia, Germany, and Poland.

Topvar employs 450 workers and is the only brewery in the country entirely in Slovak hands. The company expects to sell 670,000 hectoliters of beer this year. Sales should top SKK 740 mln.

Slovakia is home to 11 large and eight small breweries.

14 November, 2003