Egypt’s Al-Ahram Beverages (ABC) recently reported a 26.3 percent sales volume increase of its non-alcoholic beer products, reaching 658,358 hectoliters in 2001. The company also confirmed an 8.67 percent increase in its annual sales of alcoholic beer, reaching 428,560 hectoliters in 2001 compared to 394,355 hectoliters in 2000. A hectoliter is the measurement used for beer and wine output per acre. One hectoliter is equal to 100 liters.
ABC’s spirits sales increased by 564 percent to 263,244 cases and Lipton iced tea sales increased by 591 percent to 93,381 cases in 2001 with their sales commencing in October of 2000. The company’s wine sales decreased by 22.84 percent from 167,943 cases in 2000 to 129,577 cases in 2001.
ABC produces alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer, soft drinks and malt extracts. The company became publicly held in 1997 and soon after became a model of privatization in Egypt by modernizing production and improving quality control measures. In 1999 the group launched a new alcoholic beer called El Dorado Shandy Beer and acquired the Nile Brewery Company. Alcoholic beer accounted for 62 percent of fiscal 1999 revenues, non-alcoholic beer, 26 percent and soft drinks, 12 percent. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
