Before pandemic, Czech Budvar beer sales hit a record

Budejovicky Budvar NP, a Czech state-owned brewery, said Wednesday that its output rose 4.8% to 1.679 million hectoliters (44.36 million gallons) in 2019, before the pandemic hit global trade and business. The brewer's exports were up 7.4% to 1.154 million hectoliters (30.49 million gallons) last year, also a record, to almost 80 countries.

Beer production at Budvar, which has been in a long legal dispute with US giant Anheuser-Busch overuse of the "Budweiser" brand, increased last year to the highest level in the brewer's 124-year history. Budejovicky Budvar NP, a Czech state-owned brewery, said Wednesday that its output rose 4.8% to 1.679 million hectoliters (44.36 million gallons) in 2019 before the pandemic hit global trade and business.

The brewer's exports were up 7.4% to 1.154 million hectoliters (30.49 million gallons) last year, also a record, to almost 80 countries. Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Russia, and Britain were the biggest foreign markets for Budvar last year. Budvar says its revenues hit a record high last year, reaching more than 2.8 billion crowns ($119 million). The profit figures have not been released.

The brewer has been expanding to be able to produce over 2 billion hectoliters of beer a year.