Latvia: Aldaris sees the biggest turnover in its history

Latvian beer market grew 8.7% in 2006, Russian Beer Union reported March 26. Sizing-up 2006 year�s results, AO Aldaris� Management noted that company�s sales increase was bigger than the branch average and constituted 11%.

Aldaris� total beverage sales reached 100.79 mil liters or 14.15 mil liters more than in 2005. The company kept its leader position on the market with 39.4% share. Beer consumption grew from 62 liters in 2005 to 66 liters of beer per capita in 2006. The export rose 31%.

AO Aldaris� total net turnover constituted 28.4 mil LAT, 25.4% more than in 2005. Net profit constituted 4.7 mil LAT, thanks to growing sales volumes, product portfolio restructuring (premium beers and new products) and expenses� optimization.

In 2007, the company plans to invest around 2.5 mil LAT and to introduce new product categories. Currently the company is modernizing its bottling-labelling lines as well as loading machines, after having invested 0.5 mil LAT. It would permit to increase line productivity by 25% - to 45 000 bottles per hour or 13 bottles per second.

From 1992, when Baltic Beverages Holding AB became AO Aldaris� main shareholder, 42 mil Lat have been invested in new technologies and innovations.