The first-quarter increase is largely due to the rises recorded in January and February, of over 24%. In March the rise was just 3%, but the first two months of the year were enough for first-quarter results to exceed those in the similar period in 2010-2012.
The mild winter (especially in the first two months of the year) and the beer excise hike in February are the main factors behind the sales rise. Beer producers rushed to send their products to the market in January in order to pay lower taxes.
The early-year trend became more apparent only in March, after the impact of the excise was eliminated.
Out of the companies that have released their results, Heineken reported a stagnation in sales by volume in the first quarter of the year, according to information in the parent company’s report.
The first three months of this year are captured in the report of SABMiller (the owner of Ursus Breweries), with the group’s financial year running from April to March. Between April 2012 and March 2013 sales returned to growth, up 24%. No quarterly data is available.
Romaqua said its beer sales had increased 14% (in the first four months of the year).
Other players on the beer market include Bergenbier and URBB, which have yet to release their first-quarter results.
(English version by Daniela Stoican)