Carlsberg Breweries has again increased its shareholding in thePolish Carlsberg Okocim through the acquisition of a further 6 per cent of its share capital.
The company said that the shares were acquired at a priceof DKK60 million (€8m) from the German brewery Bitburger. The move means that Bitburger has now sold its remaining shares in Carlsberg Okocim and that Carlsberg Breweriesnow owns 85 per cent of the total shares in the Polish concern.
The acquisition is part of Carlsberg Breweries' strategy to increaseits shareholding in what the company terms as "important breweries" throughout the region.
The Polish state and the Danish Iø-foundation own close to 11 per cent ofCarlsberg Okocim and the rest of the shares (around 4 per cent) are held by private investors.
Poland is currently the 10th largest beer market in the world. In 2002, total beer consumption was 27 million hl, equivalent to ayearly per capita consumption of 69 litres. Over the past five years,annual consumption has increased by around 7 per cent.
Carlsberg Okocim has a market share of 14 per cent and Carlsberg claims to be the fastest growing premium brand in Poland.
Carlsberg has an ongoing policy to expand throughout the Central and Eastern European region. Only last month, the Danish-based brewer announced that it had increased its shareholding in the Bulgarian brewery Shumensko Pivo to 89 per cent through the acquisition of a further 29.6 per cent stake. Carlsberg Breweries also owns 98 per cent of the Bulgarian brewery Pirinsko Pivo.