Slovakia Bulgaria Hungary Macedonia Other European countries Regional Review and productivity were achieved through staff training and updated systems. Further efficiency gains accrued from the concentration of production at fewer locations at the end of 2000. The medium-term outlook for the large Polish beer market is good. Better result and good prospects The Slovakian beer market recorded marginal growth in 2001. Fleineken Slovensko's beer sales held steady at 2.1 million hi and the company was able to defend its market leadership against keen competition from Czech brands. Financial performance improved. Although beer prices in the Slovakian market remained low, purchasing power is expected to improve signifi cantly in the coming years. Fleineken Slovensko has strong brands in Zlaty Bazant, Corgon and Kelt. New packaging was introduced for Zlaty Bazant to underline its image as a national premium brand. Corgon achieved sales growth in the mainstream segment while Kelt gained market share in the premium segment. The four original breweries, Zlaty Bazant, Corgon, Martiner and Gemer, have been fully integrated and now operate under the same name - Fleineken Slovensko - using the same business information systems. Implementation of Fleineken Slovensko's project to build its own distribution network by acquiring beverage wholesalers has been accelerated. Work started in 2001 on increasing the capacity of the malt-house to 130,000 tonnes. When it is completed in 2002, the new plant will produce malt for the Fleineken breweries in the region. Zagorka and Amstel brands achieve strong growth The Bulgarian beer market posted 5% growth in 2001, mainly in the low-price segment. Although sales of beers produced by our Zagorka brewery remained close to the previous year's level at 1.0 million hi, the company reported an improved result. Sales of the Zagorka and Amstel brands were higher, but low-priced Ariana sales volume was down. Sales of imported Fleineken beer also rose. Further investments were made in modernisation of the production facilities. Stable result due to Heineken sales and cost control The Flungarian beer market contracted in 2001. Profitability is low in the brewing sector in Flungary, but the position is gradually improving. Although Amstel Brewery Flungary's beer sales decreased from 543,000 to 516,000 hi, the financial result remained stable. Amstel Brewery Flungary maintained its market share and, thanks to a better sales mix, effective cost control and increased efficiency, returned a stable financial result. Extra marketing and promotional effort is being invested to halt the decline in Amstel sales. Fleineken beer, which have been brewed in Flungary since 1999, again recorded vigorous growth. Promising launch for Amstel Despite the adverse effect on the beer market in Macedonia of the uncertain political situation in the country, sales of Skopsko and Star Lisec beers by our Pivara Skopje brewery held steady at 0.5 million hi. Sales of imported Amstel beer via Pivara Skopje's distri bution network made encouraging progress. Pivara Skopje will also start distributing imported Fleineken in 2002. Beer sales by the Affligem brewery in Belgium grew by over 10%. Our Belgian brewery exclusively produces Affligem abbey beers, which are being sold into a grow ing number of export markets and are developing well as part of Fleineken's range of international speciality beers. We increased our stake in the Affligem brewery from 50% to 95.7% early in 2001. Malt production at Mouterij Albert, where capacity had been expanded to 230,000 tonnes in 2000, increased sharply. One of the most efficient plants of its kind in the world, Mouterij Albert supplies our breweries in the Netherlands, Nigeria, Brazil and elsewhere. The beer market in the United Kingdom continued to contract in 2001, with the weather and the effects of the foot-and-mouth crisis exacerbating the trend. Sales of Fleineken Cold Filtered, Fleineken Export and Murphy's HEINEKEN N.V. ANNUAL REPORT 2001 30

Jaarverslagen en Personeelsbladen Heineken

Jaarverslagen | 2001 | | pagina 37