Last year, Budějovický Budvar exported more than 1.3 million hectolitres of beer, an increase of 11.3 percent yearly. It was a record year for growth, both in volume and sales. Budvar sold over 500,000 hectolitres in Germany for the first time in its history. Sales also grew in other key markets such as the UK and Slovakia, said Budvar’s communications manager, Barbora Bláhová.
Budvar brewed 1.8 million hectolitres last year, a 4.6 percent increase yearly. The first time sales of beer surpassed CZK 3 billion, amounting to CZK 3.17 billion. The national company has not yet published further results. Budvar recorded a record double-digit growth in exports last year.
“In export markets, we achieved an 11% increase in volume and a 16% increase in sales. We are pleased that we did well in Europe and far beyond its borders,” said Renata Pánková, Budvar’s director for export markets.
The brewery also performed well in all key markets. These include the countries where Budvar has subsidiaries – Germany, Great Britain, and Slovakia. “We are pleased that we have also managed to grow in all markets where our subsidiaries handle sales, distribution, and marketing. In this respect, I cannot fail to mention Budvar’s record sales result in the stagnant market in Germany, where we have surpassed the 500,000 hectolitre mark for the first time in history,” added Pánková.
Budvar is drunk in 70 countries
Budvar exports to more than 70 countries. Last year, for example, it also sold in Algeria, Cameroon, Ecuador, Chile, Iraq, Jordan, the Maldives, Peru, and the Philippines. More recently, the national brewery has exported to Cambodia and Uzbekistan, for example. Australia has long remained the most distant market.
Budvar had to deal with COVID restrictions for the second year in a row. The decline in sales of cask and tank beer due to the closure of restaurants was compensated for by developing the distribution network and selling more packaged beer. “The coronavirus crisis has also significantly affected the functioning of logistics,” Bláhová said.
In 2020, when the national company with 670 employees brewed 1.73 million hectolitres of beer, exports to the show accounted for 69 percent. Exports have helped Budvar to better results over the long term. Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Russia, and the UK were among the top five markets the year before.
Revenues from sales of products and services were a record CZK 2.81 billion the year before. Net sales exceeded CZK 3 billion for the second consecutive year. According to the annual report, Budvar’s profit after tax was CZK 305 million the year before.