Portuguese beer and soft drinks company Super Bock Group (SBG) has reported record sales of €521 million in full year 2017 (up from €451.3 million in 2016).
SBG boosted its leadership in the domestic market, registering a 10% growth in sales, equivalent to an extra €38 million. The Super Bock brand is a leader both in the on and off-trade channels.
Exports grew 39%, or by an additional €31 million, with China becoming the company’s second largest market, thanks to a doubling of Portuguese beer exports.
Net profit in 2017 grew 34% year-on-year to €51.3 million.
Market Growth
In Portugal, Super Bock beer reached its highest market share in 10 years, and its cider brand, Somersby, became the market leader in its segment.
Beer sales in Europe increased by 5%, with a repositioning of the Super Bock brand. Most of the growth came from Germany, the UK, Spain and France, the company said.
In the Far East, Super Bock continued to develop its positioning as a premium brand, with beer exports to China now accounting for 40% of exports.
Total capex amounted to €30 million, or €6 million higher than in 2016, reflecting the stabilisation of the company’s investment plan after the upgrade of the industrial and logistics facility in Leça do Balio.
Sales at malting company Maltibérica, owned jointly with France’s Malteurop, increased by 5% year on year. No financial details were revealed, only that the net operating income "grew significantly" in 2017 and that there was also a "consolidation of the customer base."
SBG is owned by Group Viacer (56%) and Carlsberg Group (44%). The company's core business is beer and bottled water, but the company is also present in soft drinks, wines, malt production and marketing and the tourism sector.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
