Budweiser Budvar National Corporation increased beer production by less than five percent to a record 1,679 million hectoliters last year, with total sales exceeding CZK 3 billion for the first time.
The business results of the enterprise, which falls under the Ministry of Agriculture, are mainly driven by exports. Budvar beer can be purchased in almost 80 countries. Nearly 70 percent of the beer sold went abroad last year, and sales in Germany, Russia, Poland, Sweden, and Croatia increased. Budvar also returned to the Indian market after several years.
Budvar’s sales also increased last year on the Czech market itself. Last year, a new joint beer from Budvar was also launched, brewed by brewmaster Pavel Palouš from the Cobolis Ládví brewery. In the autumn, Budvar launched a limited edition of the Seven Together Lager.
Overall, 70 percent of the company’s sales are of Budweiser Budvar Lager. The brewery concentrates on ten main markets that it wants to develop further. In terms of new markets, it is focused on Asia and South America.
Budvar has not shared its financials for the last two years. Finance Minister Alena Schiller said last summer that the current government will never privatize Budvar. The state considered the sale of the brewery during the reign of Mirek Topolánek in 2007.