Czech Republic: Pivovar Starobrno brewery announces sales increase in domestic market

Czech brewery Pivovar Starobrno, announced a 3% increase in domestic beer sales to 398,600 hectolitres for the first six months of the year, Prague Monitor announced on September 15.

The company thus remained the fourth largest distributor in the country and raised market share from 4.7 to 5.4 percent. However, overall sales, including from the brewery Hostan which the firm controls, went slightly down to nearly 419,000 hectolitres, in line with the nationwide trend, CEO Frantisek Krakes said.

He added that beer sales in the country dipped by three percent in the first half of the year.

Starobrno exported 20,000 hectolitres in the first half, mostly to Sweden, Germany, Austria, the USA and Great Britain. Production for the neighbouring Slovak market was transferred to Heineken Slovensko in 2004.

Starobrno sold a total of 468,000 hectolitres of drinks by the end of June, with sales including excise duty amounting to CZK 732.5 million. Operating profit reached CZK 54 million. The firm has a 25 percent market share in South Moravia and a 50 percent stake in the city of Brno.

16 September, 2005