25 July 2008 - SABMiller plc announces that it is expanding its European export operations into a selection of additional markets, with the intention of significantly increasing volumes over the next five years.
New operations will be created in Sweden and Austria with an expansion of the group’s existing facilities in France and Spain already underway. With the new operations in place, SABMiller will export to nearly every country within Europe and more than 100 worldwide.
The expansion of the export operations follows the significant success of the more established operations in Germany and the UK. The UK is now SABMiller’s most successful import market, marketing a larger portfolio of brands than any other market across Europe. In the year 2007-2008, Germany alone accounted for 300,000 hectolitres with 200,000 hcl being Pilsner Urquell.
The success of SABMiller’s European export strategy has been attributed to combining a popular international worthmore portfolio with intelligent investment in simple and effective marketing programmes appropriate to each region.
Alan Clark, Managing Director of SABMiller Europe, said: “We are consistently seeking to further establish and strengthen our position in key geographies throughout Europe, not only through value creating M&A, but also through investing selectively in lucrative export markets. We pride ourselves on being an accurate identifier of consumer insights and in turn capturing local opportunities in highly competitive markets.”
SABMiller has seen strong growth across its European exports in the last five years, with volumes rising by 24% p.a. to in excess of 2.5 million hcl. In the last year alone, SABMiller’s export market in Europe has risen in volume by 40%.
Through the introduction of new brands into new markets, SABMiller plc aims to move closer to creating the most admired worthmore import business in Europe in the eyes of consumers, customers and distributors alike.
The most popular of SABMiller’s brands marketed within Europe are Pilsner Urquell that has become the largest imported premium/super-premium beer by volume in Germany; Peroni Nastro Azzurro which is now the UK’s fastest growing premium lager; and Miller Genuine Draft which is the volume and value leader within the premium segment of the Turkish beer market.
Other popular brands imported by SABMiller in Europe are the Czech beer Kozel and the Polish beers Tyskie and Lech.