Heineken pushed its worldwide sales upwards to 36 billion euros last year, with non-alcoholic beers as key driver. Growth particularly came from Africa and Asia, but was only limited in Europe.
10% increase in alcohol-free
Last year saw Heineken achieve an organic growth of 5 %, while operating profit rose 1.6 % to 4.51 billion euros. In contrast, net profit was hit by a 874 million euro write-down on the stake in Chinese brewer CR Beer, contributing to a decline from 2.3 billion to 1 billion euros.
A notable development was the rise in sales of non-alcoholic beers and ciders, which increased by 10 %. Heineken 0.0 is now available in 117 countries and is said to be the world’s most popular non-alcoholic brand. The growth of non-alcoholic beers was especially pronounced in markets such as Brazil and the United States. Well-known brands such as Amstel, Desperados and Birra Moretti further contributed to the growth.
Overall, Heineken recorded a 1.6 % volume growth. Africa, the Middle East and Asia had the strongest volume growth, while growth in Europe was limited to 0.3 %. The Dutch beer group therefore continues to focus on premium segments and non-alcoholic alternatives. For this year, the group expects operating profit to grow between 4 and 8 %, while it continues to invest in marketing and cost savings to boost profitability.
