display

Kreuztal-Krombach (dpa) - Germany's largest private brewery Krombacher has been able to cushion the consequences of the Corona crisis on the beer business with strong pillars in retail and non-alcoholic beverages.

Despite the repeatedly closed pubs and restaurants as well as many unusual major events, the group's total output in the past financial year 2020 fell by only 2.5 percent compared to the record year 2019 - to a good 7.4 million hectoliters, as the family company based in Siegerland announced on Tuesday.

At the same time, group sales fell by 3.9 percent to EUR 828.4 million.

The unlisted family company traditionally did not provide any information on profits.

However, even in normal years, gastronomy only accounts for around 15 percent of Krombacher's beer output.

According to a company spokesman, the minus here is over 60 percent.

In small breweries in particular, the share of catering is much higher.

But traces of the Corona crisis are also visible in the Krombacher beer business: The output of Krombacher Pils decreased by 6 percent to a good 4.2 million hectoliters.

Accordingly, there were also significant declines in light and wheat.

Fassbrause, several alcohol-free variants and vitamin salt, however, increased.

Taken together, the output of the beer division fell by 4.6 percent to a good 6 million hectoliters.

display

The soft drinks division for the Schweppes brand grew strongly again thanks to additional new products.

The output rose by 7.9 percent to 1.38 million hectoliters.

A good third of the total output of the Krombacher Group, which grew up with beer, is already accounted for by non-alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beer.

Marketing director Uwe Riehs assumes that the first half of 2021 will also be determined by the effects of the pandemic.

The group, which has a total of around 1,000 employees, makes use of short-time work for a few dozen employees in the field of catering.

Krombacher did not take advantage of the option to defer the beer tax, which had been opened to the breweries by the state during the Corona crisis.

The brewery provided ethanol for the production of disinfectant free of charge.