Czech brewer Budvar hits record as people drink more at home
Budvar, the Czech brewer that has been in a long legal dispute with U.S. giant Anheuser-Busch over use of the “Budweiser” brand, increased output to a record last year, when the pandemic saw people drink less in bars and more at home
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Budvar, the Czech brewer that has been in a long legal dispute with U.S. giant Anheuser-Busch over use of the “Budweiser” brand, increased output to a record last year, when the pandemic saw people drink less in bars and more at home.
Budejovicky Budvar NP, a 125-year-old state-owned brewery said Thursday that its output rose 3% to 1.73 million hectoliters (45.7 million gallons) in 2020.
The brewer’s exports were up almost 3.5% last year, director Petr Dvorak said.
Budvar sells its beer in some 80 countries and Germany, one of its key markets, grew particularly strongly in 2020. Revenues also hit a record last year, growing 1% from 2.8 billion crowns ($130 million) in 2019. It did not release profit figures.
Demand for its beer in tanks and barrels declined last year as bars and restaurants were closed for a long time but Budvar was able to meet rising demand for bottled beer, it said.
The brewer has been expanding in recent years to be able to produce over 2 billion hectoliters of beer a year. That investment made it possible to react to “dramatic” changes on the markets amid the coronavirus pandemic.