Germany: Brewer C & A Veltins sees 10.1% increase in first-half output

German brewer C & A Veltins has seen a 10.1% increase in output in the first half of 2022 following stable consumer demand in the country, according to a report in the online publication rundschau.de.

Beer production reached 1.71 million hectolitres in this period, with Veltins growing twice as much as the overall market (+5% year-on-year) in the first six months.

The report quoted Veltins general manager, Michael Huber, saying that the brewery reached an "all-time high" in beer production during the six months, irrespective of the difficult procurement conditions in the market.

In March and May, the brewer saw the highest output in its almost 200-year history, driven by consumer demand for its brand mix.

In the first half, the brewer's Veltins and Pülleken brands reported double-digit growth of 12.7% to 1.26 million hectolitres and 24.9% to 124,000 hectolitres, respectively.

Elsewhere, its Grevensteiner brand reported a 15.2% decline, while the V+ beer mix grew by 3.3%. The non-alcoholic draught range witnessed growth of 5.6%.

According to Dr. Volker Kuhl, managing director of marketing and sales at Veltins, the company's draft beer business made "a tight recovery" after losses due to the pandemic in the previous year.

The company did not make any forecast for the second half of the year due to uncertain gas supply, the report noted.

Huber said that Veltins has implemented measures to ensure production and supply security over the longer term.

In addition, it has allotted funds of approximately €30 million in advance to this effect.

The company is also not considering price increases for the foreseeable future, the report said.

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