- Poland is the third largest beer producer in the European Union. Beer is still the largest category of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in Poland, very important for small traditional trade.
- In 2023, PERŁA-Browary Lubelskie SA produced 1,908 thousand hl of beer, which means a decrease by 2.6% compared to 2022.
Perła beer is one of the most recognizable products of the Lublin region. Browary Lubelskie is one of the largest regional beer producers in Poland and the undisputed leader of this industry in the Lublin region. How is it coping in an increasingly difficult market?
The company emphasizes in its financial report that the Polish beer market has been systematically decreasing since 2019, with the decline in 2023 being particularly deep. In terms of volume, it fell by 2 million hl, or 6.9 percent compared to 2022, but it should be noted that in terms of value, the beer market grew by 7.1 percent to PLN 22.8 billion.
Perła beer, photo from perla.pl
Crisis-proof non-alcoholic beers
In 2023, sales fell in almost every market segment, which is
a consequence of, among others, the increase in beer prices by an average of 15.2 percent to PLN 7.57/litre. In
Compared to 2022, the biggest decline in sales was felt by the most expensive beers from the top and ultra premium segments, which recorded growth in previous years, as well as the cheapest offers from the economy segment.
The category that was not affected or was affected only slightly was beer.
non-alcoholic and low-alcohol.
Berła Brewery produces less beer
PERŁA-Browary Lubelskie states in its financial report that it produced 1,908 thousand hl of beer last year, which means a decrease of 2.6% compared to 2022. In 2023, beer sales to the company's customers amounted to 1,895 thousand hl and decreased by 98 thousand hl, i.e. by 4.9%, compared to 2022. The decrease was much smaller than the entire industry.
The breweries' beer sales volume in 2023 amounted to 1,895 thousand hl, which means a decrease compared to 2022 by 4.9 percent (i.e. by 98 thousand hl). Perła Chmielowa still has a dominant share in the product portfolio, and its share constitutes 49% of the company's sales volume. Only the Zwierzynieckie brand recorded a significant quantitative increase in sales.
Last year, the company began cooperation with the Dino chain.
PERŁA-Browary Lubelskie recorded sales revenues of PLN 829,231 thousand for 2023, while operating costs amounted to PLN 815,892 thousand. The company achieved sales profit of PLN 13,339 thousand and net profit of PLN 3,359 thousand. The net profit generated for 2022 amounted to PLN 18,189 thousand.
Will Horeca boost beer sales?
Perła predicts further growth in the importance of non-alcoholic beers, a segment
premium, special and flavored beers.
– A shift between segments has been visible for several years now. Traditional lagers are slowly losing out to flavoured beers and 0.0% beers. This trend will continue, with 0.0% beers in particular increasing their market share. It is worth noting the importance of the HoReCa sector for beer consumption. Currently, this channel accounts for only around 10% of beer consumption in Poland, while in the Czech Republic, for example, it is around 50% – the report indicates.
