Carlsberg Announces Volume Increase For First Quarter

07 May 2013 --- Financial highlights - Organic net revenue growth of 3% to DKK 13.3bn. - 22% organic operating profit growth to DKK 661m driven by Asia and Eastern Europe. - Adjusted net profit of DKK 104m (Q1 2012: DKK -33m). - 2013 outlook maintained.

Operational highlights
- 4% organic beer volume growth, driven by Eastern Europe and continued strong growth in Asia.
- Solid market share improvements in all three regions. Our Russian business continued its positive market share trend.
- Sweden became the first market to implement the supply chain integration and business standardisation project.
- The roll-out of international premium brands continues. The Carlsberg brand declined 1% in premium markets due to tough comparisons with last year (EURO 2012 activities). The Tuborg brand delivered a strong 19% volume growth.
- The sponsorships of EURO 2016, the English Premier League and the Chinese Super League were announced reinforcing the Carlsberg brand’s strong links to football.
- The Carlsberg Group took an important step forward in China with the March announcement of the intention to make a partial take-over offer of Chongqing Brewery Company.
- The Group maintained its position as the most efficient global brewer in terms of water and energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

Commenting on the results, CEO Jørgen Buhl Rasmussen says: “In the traditionally small first quarter, the Group delivered solid performance in line with our expectations. We are very satisfied with the strong performance of our Asian business which delivered almost 20% organic revenue and profit growth. Our Russian business continued its positive performance, and in Western Europe, underlying profitability improved and we reached a very important milestone when we implemented the supply chain integration and business standardisation project in Sweden without business disruption.”