Czech beer giants produced healthy 2019 profits

The České Budějovice brewery Budvar produced record turnover last year of CZK 3bn, with CZK 2.8bn of that coming from sales of its own products and services. That was an increase of CZK 170m from the year before. It pre-tax profits rose 10.9 percent to CZK 363.7m, making it the best year the company's had since 2001. Output rose 4.8 percent to 1.67 million hectoliters, which is the most in the country's history, while revenues for beer sales themselves rose 6.3 percent to CZK 2.71bn. Director Petr Dvořák said the company's decision to focus on premium segments of the market had provedn to be the right one. Of course Plzeňský Prazdroj's profits were even bigger that Budvar's turnover -- CZK 4.8bn on revenues of CZK 17bn (a three percent increase). The giant from Pilsen sold 7.3 million hectoliters of beer in the Czech Republic, plus another 4.5 million abroad. Plzeňský Prazdroj's family of beer brands include Gambrinus, Radegast, Primus and Klasik.