Carlsberg reports 5% rise in volumes

Carlsberg UK has bucked declines in the UK beer market by reporting a 5% rise in beer volumes — a 10% out-performance of a beer market down 5%, according to British Beer & Pub Association figures.

The company has grown its market share in the on-trade where beer volumes are generally down 9%, according to recent figures.

Carlsberg UK's growth in the on-trade has come as a result of contract wins with JD Wetherspoon and Greene King, as well as a host of smaller companies and growth in the freetrade.

Chief executive Dr Isaac Sheps said: "We have succeeded in changing the perception in the on-trade that Carlsberg is an off-trade company. We are highly committed to the on-trade and there is a huge amount of support we deliver to show this.

"We have established We Deliver More as a way of doing business. It is a customer-focused principle where we help licensees drive sales and footfall and make more money through our knowledge, expertise and marketing assets.

"Added to this more than 75% of our employees help service the on-trade; we are the only major brewer that still delivers direct to our customers through our own distribution network; we also provide distribution services through our logistics network to some of the biggest UK pub operators."

Sheps arrived at Carlsberg UK in November 2008 with a brief to double the company's profits in the UK, which were well below company-wide margins.

Profit figures for Carlsberg UK are not separated out of wider company figures.

But at last week's Carlsberg interim results, it was stated that "operating profit in northern and western Europe almost tripled to 406 million Kroner".