Hungary: Major brewers report net sales increase in 2023 but profitability drops

The 2023 business year brought various challenges and successes for Hungarian beer producers. While net sales increased among the four leading beer producers – Borsodi, Heineken, Dreher, and Carlsberg – the results after taxes are no longer so uniformly positive, Trade magazine reported on June 6.

The sales data show that Borsodi and Heineken both achieved a 6 percent increase, which indicates industry stability and the continued presence of consumer demand. On the other hand, Dreher and Carlsberg recorded even more significant revenue growth, which suggests that these brands were able to respond more effectively to market needs and perhaps address new market segments.

At the same time, the picture is no longer so bright in terms of profitability. Borsodi suffered a significant HUF 3 billion loss, while Carlsberg also closed in the red with a HUF 196 million loss. This indicates that although revenue is increasing, cost management, inflationary pressures or any other internal problems have affected the effectiveness of manufacturers.

Dreher, on the other hand, closed an exceptionally good year, with an after-tax profit of HUF 5.8 billion, thereby strengthening its market position. Heineken, while remaining profitable, has not achieved the same level of profit as Dreher, which may attract further competition and development in the future.

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