SABMiller says quarterly U.S. sales decline

Modern Brewery Age,  Jan 24, 2005  

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SABMiller said this week that Miller sales in the U.S. slipped during the last fiscal quarter, although the company still added market share. SABMiller blamed a "weak industry trading environment" for the fact that Miller's domestic sales to retailers dropped 0.3 percent in the quarter.

SABMiller said it continued to see strong growth for Miller Lite, which has been reviving "in line with expectations."

Miller's domestic sales to retailers rose 1.5 percent in the fiscal year to date, with domestic shipments to wholesalers in line with sales to retailers on both a quarterly and year-to-date basis, it said.

SABMiller said its third quarter volume growth was strong, with lager beer volume growth on a comparable basis up five percent. The company said it continued to increase sales in its home market of South Africa, due to good weather and strong consumer spending.

"Financial performance has been in line with expectations outlined at the company's interim results," the company said.

SABMiller's Beer South Africa division reported that volumes grew four percent on a comparable basis, in line with year to date, while ABI, the largest Coca-Cola bottler in South Africa, achieved a volume growth of six percent.

In Europe, SABMiller's organic lager volume growth for the third quarter was six percent, and five percent for the year to date, on reports of continued strong performances from Poland, Russia and Romania. Growth in these markets offset softness in Italy, Hungary and Slovakia. In Central America, SABMiller said it saw three percent growth in beer volumes in the quarter, and two percent year to date. Africa and Asia volume grew 10 percent.

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