World beer: More recent figures are published by market analysts are: Germany beer sales Jan-Sept + 3%. Denmark domestic sales – 6,3 %, compensated by larger exports. Russia Jan-Sept 66,54 million hl = + 12.9 %. China 2003 249.8 million hl, estimate for 2004 265 million hl = + 7,4 % (as per Chinese Distillers Association, but there are higher estimates as well). Japan reported a minus of 8,5 % again in September, it is the most disappointing market in the world this year. The Philippines recovered from a beer output of 11 million hl in 2002 to 12.7 million hl in 2003. Now San Miguel, market leader with a 90 % market share, reports another plus of 16 % in Jan-August 2004.

17 November, 2004