LADs down 4% in 6 months to September
The on-trade fared slightly better than the off-trade as the decline in LAD volumes was led by the off-trade with a decline of 5.2% as on-trade volumes fell by a “less subdued” 2.3%.
This decline in volumes was led by the off-trade with a decline of 5.2% as on-trade volumes fell by a “less subdued” 2.3% according to the company.
Cider’s share of the LAD market also reduced from 13.8% to just 13.0% (H1 ’19 vs H1 ’18, where 2018’s weather and the World Cup formed key drivers).
But despite increased competition, the C&C Group’s volume share of cider here held firm at 65% in over the six months to the end of August.
Revenue for from the Bulmers brand was down 4.2% – as expected in light of the boost given the brand by 2018’s World Cup and weather – but it remains the Number One cider brand in Ireland “across all measures” and the Number 3 LAD brand.
At €120.6 million, C&C Group’s net H1 revenues for Ireland were down 3.1% on H1 2019 as volumes decreased slightly to 749 kiloHectolitres (of which Bulmers was responsible for 209 kHL, down 9%).
Irish Operating Profits were also down 0.8% to €25.9 million as the company’s Five Lamps Brewery increased output volumes by a third.
The C&C Group’s wholesaling subsidiary C&C Gleeson, together with its wine business, saw significant momentum into H1 with total revenue growing by 8%.However, the net performance of the division was down 3.1%.
C&C Group’s total net revenue jumped 13.5% to €874.9 million, producing an Operating Profit for the company of €63.8 million, up 9.2%.
