Our friends at Consumer Goods Technology (CGT) report:
Jean-François van Boxmeer, chief executive of Heineken, the world’s third largest brewer, told CNBC that he expected to see continued sales growth in emerging markets, despite the occasional “hiccup” in the future.
Heineken reported higher first-half results than markets expected as it increased profit in all regions except Africa and maintained its full-year forecast of growth, albeit slower than in 2014.
The Dutch brewer fared best in Asia, where expansion was strongest thanks to double-digit percentage growth in Vietnam thanks to its Tiger brand, followed by the Americas, where Heineken brews in Mexico and exports into the United States.
“The volume growth and the business growth in emerging markets is much higher than in developed markets – it is 8 percent growth year-on-year as opposed to a flatish and slightly down (growth rate) in developed markets so that’s how big the difference is,” said van Boxmeer.
“It’s a trend which is there to stay,” he added. “The macro-trends over the next 25 years are poised to be positive for our industry,” he added, despite some “hiccups from time to time.”
Click here for the full story on Heineken’s emerging markets growth.