Brewer’s whoop!

SABMiller, the brewer behind big name brands such as Peroni, Grolsch and Miller light, has reported a 4% rise in revenue despite falling sales in Europe and flat sales in the US.
The world’s second largest brewer saw European lager sales drop 5%, while remaining static in the States, with the company revealing that it does not expect to make a recovery until the end of the year.
“Eastern Europe is still down and the US is still down, but there is stronger performance in Latin American, and in Africa and in Asia,” says chief executive Graham Mackay. “China has continued in growth, remarkable growth actually throughout. It’s the biggest beer market in the world and it’s big for us – we are number one there.”
The London-based but firm is investing heavily in the World Cup, with the Italian, South African and Honduran teams all sponsored by its local brands.
“We expect between a 4-6% lift over the duration of the tournament,” says Mackay. “And the effect on the overall South African economy and profile of South Africa will be very gratifying.”