Chile's largest brewer Compania Cervecerias Unidas, or CCU, reported on April 8 a 5.2 % increase in first-quarter sales volume, driven by beer sales in Argentina. The company, controlled by a holding company owned by Chile's Quinenco and by Heineken NV of the Netherlands, sold 2.515 million hectoliters in the January-March period, according to Reuters.

In Chile, sales volume rose 3.1 %, led by nectars and wine exports. Volumes of beer, the largest product line, climbed 0.2 percent. Beer volumes in Argentina rose 16.7 percent, but much smaller wine sales in that country fell sharply by 67.2 percent.

CCU's fourth-quarter net profit jumped 59 % to 18.117 billion pesos on strong sales of its new Heineken product and lower income taxes. ($1 = 600 Chilean pesos)

09 April, 2004