Peroni gives SABMiller a welcome lift
UK pubgoers' thirst for Italian lager appears to be far from quenched, as booming sales of draught Peroni helped SABMiller grow its overall beer volumes in the UK by 14 per cent in the past year.
While it declined to reveal the actual volume figures achieved, SABMiller said Peroni Nastro Azzurro volumes were up 29 per cent overall, with the on-trade seeing a 36 per cent hike.
Pilsner Urquell, SABMiller's other key lager brand in the UK, saw volumes up 22 per cent, thanks to what the brewer described as "good distribution to key national retailers".
For the group's European operation, full year lager volumes fell five per cent, reflecting what SABMiller called the continued weak economic environment as well as "substantial increases in excise taxes in a number of our markets".
