Restaurant, draft beer – illustrative photo.
Přerov – Brewery group Pivovary CZ Group, which consists of breweries Zubr, Litovel and Holba, in 2022 increased the total production of beer and beverages by six percent year-on-year to 770,818 hectoliters. Last year's production of the group was three percent higher than in the pre-Covid year 2019. Sales of the trefoil breweries in 2022 increased by 14 percent to 1.374 billion crowns. Tomáš Konečný, commercial director of Pivovarů CZ Group, told ČTK today.
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“The year 2022 was a challenge for every brewery in the Czech Republic. We were dealing with the cooling of the economy, the reverberations of the covid pandemic and especially the increase in input costs and energy prices,” said Konečný. According to him, it has been confirmed that the traditional Czech way of brewing beer and the emphasis on the quality of raw materials brings success to customers even in more difficult economic times. “This is evidenced by the significant increase in sales of keg and tank beer,” he pointed out.
The growth engine of the Pivovary CZ Group's sales last year was especially higher exports, according to Konečný, the recovery of the gastronomic market, the sale of a premium assortment of beers and also the price increase in April, when the price of a pint of draft beer produced by the three breweries increased by a crown, also helped. “These are all factors that contribute to growth. The figures showing the increase in tank beer in pubs and restaurants are very gratifying, although the volume of sales in the gastro segment is still lagging after 2019,” said Konečný.
CZ Group breweries also recorded growth in sales of beer in cans last year, which increased by 16 percent year-on-year. Sales of draft beer were up 22 percent. Breweries in Přerov, Litovla and Hanušovy sold more tank beer last year. Compared to the pre-covid year 2019, it was 25 percent higher, which, according to Konečný, is related to growing customer demand and a larger number of installed tanks in pubs and restaurants.
Last year, according to Konečný, the trend of increasing popularity of flavored beers continued, the total production of which in the case of CZ Group Breweries increased by 23 percent year-on-year and their export increased by 90 percent. In the Czech Republic, sales of flavored beers increased by 7.5 percent. According to Konečný, the sale of non-alcoholic beer in 2022 showed a record year-on-year growth of 65 percent and exceeded the volume of 2019 by ten percent.
The company Pivovary CZ Group was founded in December 2020. Breweries in Přerov, Litovla and Hanušovice then joined it invested property for which they received a corresponding equity share. According to representatives of the breweries, the merger is intended to increase the competitiveness of all three sister brands, strengthen their position on the market and optimize processes, especially in the area of beer distribution and the circulation of returnable packaging. entry into this leading domestic brewing group. “The aim of strengthening the shareholder structure is to support the further development of breweries and their business expansion,” said Jaromír Dvorský, deputy chairman of the board of directors of Pivovary CZ Group last fall.
