Heineken Ireland growth continues
Following the release of mid year results by Heineken NV, its Irish subsidiary, Heineken Ireland today reports a 21.6% share of the total beer market in Ireland in the six-month period to June 30, 2007.
This is an increase of 0.7% on the six months to 30 June 2006. Company turnover increased 3% to €153m with volumes up 2%.
Heineken is Ireland’s best selling lager and now holds 28% of the total lager market in Ireland and more than 17% of the total beer market.
"In 2007 Heineken again outperformed the market achieving the highest beer market share gain of the main breweries," said Heineken Ireland managing director Gerrit Van Loo.
"This strong performance was driven by the Heineken and Coors brands and by an ongoing commitment to innovation, to quality partnership-based relationships with both the on- and off-trade and to high impact consumer marketing.
"At a brand level, heightened awareness and visibility as a result of the Heineken European Cup, the UEFA Champions League and Heineken Music further underpinned the premium positioning of our products, as will Heineken’s association with World Cup Rugby in 2007.
The brewer said that European sales benefited from good weather as overall underlying profits for the group increased more than 33% to €548m in the first half of 2007.
Heineken, which also brews Amstel lager, added that UK volumes had increased 27% after its repositioning of the lager as a premium brand gained momentum.
Underlying earnings from Western Europe were more than 12% ahead at €332m as the company gained from the continued roll-out of its DraughtKeg, a pressurised pub-style beer barrel which was introduced to UK stores during the period.
The five-litre DraughtKeg has now been launched in more than 60 countries with sales topping five million to the end of June.
