E-Malt.com News article: Poland: Kompania Piwowarska is the brewing industry leader for three quarters in a row

Largest beer maker of Poland, Kompania Piwowarska (KP), a part of SABMiller plc., announced on April 28 its sales in the first quarter of 2005 (January – March) were up on the same quarter of last year by an exceptional 19,8%. The KP sales in Q1 were 2,05 million hectolitres (against 1,7 M hl sold in that period last year).

This result gives Kompania Piwowarska the position of the brewing industry leader by market share, which we estimate for the first quarter of 2005 as 37,2%. “Thus we have been able to hold the leadership position for the third consecutive quarter, since June 2004,” the brewery said.

Kompania Piwowarska portfolio includes the most favourite beer brand in Poland TYSKIE as well as the second best selling brand ŻUBR.

Kompania Piwowarska financial year begins on April 1st and ends on March 31st, as it is lined up with SABMiller’s financial year. KP’s sales within last 12 months (April 2004 – March 2005) were 10,3 million hectolitres. KP’s market share in that period was 37,5% according to ZPPP data.

Związek Polskich Pracodawców Przemysłu Piwowarskiego (ZPPP) doesn’t monitor the whole brewing industry in Poland. According to ZPPP data the total domestic sales of beer in last 12 months (see above) were 27,5 M hl.

According to GUS data the total volume of beer sold domestically was 29,1 M hl and therefore, accordingly, KP’s market share for the financial year April 2004 – March 2005 might be estimated as 35,4% (according to GUS data).

On January 19th, 2005, Kompania Piwowarska reached a major milestone in its history by exceeding 10 million hectolitres of domestic sales during the past year. This record represents an outstanding achievement of doubling the annual sales of the year 2000. To this increase of 100 % in five years, market growth contributed 24% and the Browar Dojlidy acquisition contributed another 15%, while the remaining 61% can be described as organic volume growth.

The KP’s brand portfolio has been enriched recently by launching a new brand “Dog in the Fog”. It is the beer of noticeably smooth taste, an attractive offer for young adult consumers, of both genders, mostly urban.

The advantage of this brand is its balanced taste and the unique image of a beer helping an escape from everyday hectic life, into the world of English humour.

The new brand launch was preceded by unprecedented campaign based heavily on ambient media, which included people walking their invisible dogs. The communication built around the brand’s funny English name has been and will be the funniest beer campaign ever in Poland. It has been also unconventional – using new media such as internet, special events, PR.

Kompania Piwowarska is part of the world’s second biggest brewing group - SABMiller plc. It has a brewing presence in over 40 countries across four continents and a portfolio of over 100 strong brands and leading market shares in many of the countries in which it has brewing operations. Annual sales reached 137 million hectoliters in the 2003/4 financial year. The company is also one of the largest Coca Cola bottlers outside the US. In the financial year ended March 31, 2004, SABMiller plc achieved net profits of $1,4 billion on sales of $12,6 billion.


04 May, 2005